


The Hammer Falls

by Aria_Lerendeair



Category: Supernatural
Genre: (At least partly anyways), Angel Sex, Bonding, Claiming, Epic Archangel Battle, Hammer of the Gods, Handprints, Insecure and confused Dean, M/M, Mating, Re-write, Sam goes back for Gabriel, Telepathic Sex, angel!Sam, free form
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-10
Updated: 2014-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-26 04:59:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/pseuds/Aria_Lerendeair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gabriel stays at the Elysian Hotel to make sure Sam is able to escape, he knows he is likely going to his death at the hands of his brother.  However, Sam decides to go back for him, to save the Archangel willing to die for him.  To save Gabriel though, he has to tie their soul and Grace and fates together.</p><p>Now with bonus Destiel continuation chapter!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> So a couple of admissions about this. I started writing it before I watched the entire episode of Hammer of the Gods. All I'd seen was the end scene between Gabriel and Lucifer. I remember being disappointed at the lack of just...EPIC DESTRUCTION that should have accompanied a fight between two arch angels. That led to this fic. So it is a true re-write of that episode and what would have happened had Sam gone back for Gabriel. Hope you enjoy!

  
  
"Get out Winchesters. The both of you. I will fight him." Gabriel levelled a gaze at both of them, daring them to argue.

 

"You said that you wouldn't fight your brother Gabriel-"

 

"Yeah well, someone has to make sure the three of you are still working to end this whole mess." Gabriel tilted his head up, listening. Luci was coming.

 

"Is Cas alive?" Dean bit out, glaring at the Trickster.

 

Sam studied Gabriel, well-aware that he should be heeding Gabriel's warning, that they should be running as fast and as far as they could from here. "Are we leaving you to die?"

 

"Kiddo, get the hell out of here. You are out of time." Gabriel ordered Sam, turning to glare at Dean Winchester. "Yes, he is. He will find his way back. Now get out!" He let a hint of his true voice shine through and the windows of the hotel rattled around him.

 

Sam didn't think twice. He and Dean turned as one, sprinting for the door. The made it out of the hotel, into the Impala and on the road when the first explosion sounded behind him.

 

Sam looked behind him, his breath catching. Gabriel was going to die to give them a chance to get away. Why would he do something like that? His agreeing to help didn't make any sense at all.  He clenched his fists tightly.  Gabriel wanted them to say yes and get it over with.  Why would he do this?

 

"What the hell is your problem?" Dean looked at Sam and frowned.  Sam had his brooding look on and nothing good ever came of that look.

 

"Turn around." Sam ordered. He was risking everything, everything, including the fate of the world on a gut feeling.  He’d done worse. "We have to go back."

 

Dean blinked once before exploding. "What do you fucking mean we have to go back? Not happening Sammy."

 

"Dean, there's an archangel back there who is about to die for us.”

 

“It’s the least he can do after what he did to us!”  

 

Sam winced.  That was true.  Mystery Spot still hurt, it was a memory he didn’t relish thinking about.  “Dean, think about what I’m saying.  An Archangel.  Is about to die.”    
  
  
Dean’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.  A small piece of guilt settled into his stomach.  An older brother that Castiel looked up to, no matter what he said, was about to die for them.  “So you’re just going to waltz in there, with Lucifer bearing down on him and do what?”

 

Fuck if he knew.  But he’d figure it out.  He opened his mouth to say so when he felt something twist inside his stomach and PULL.  Sam’s eyes flew to Dean, about to warn him when suddenly Dean, the Impala, everything disappeared.  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It was white. Wherever he was. It was very, very white. And painless. That meant that this probably wasn't Lucifer. Probably.

 

"Hello Sam."

 

Whatever voice he had been expecting to hear, that was one of the last. "Cas? How did you get back here, the banishing sigil-"

 

"Forgive me for interrupting you Sam, but I do not have much time. I am not your Cas." Castiel smiled at him.

 

Riiiiiight. "Right. Well, since you are controlling this little dreamspace, I will bite and ask which Cas are you." His hackles rose when Castiel smiled and chuckled at him.

 

"I am from one possible future you face with your choice."

 

Sam fought the urge to glare and demand be let go. "You sure you aren't the Trickster masquerading around in my head again?"

 

"Gabriel warned me that you might think as much. Or that I was Lucifer, come to torment you. But Gabriel sent me here. At your instruction."

 

That didn't make any sense. He requested that Cas be sent back? Why would he do that? What point could there have been? "What-"

 

Castiel looked at Sam. "You said I was the only one you would trust on sight. And that you would only believe who I was if I told you how I met Dean."

 

"All right, let's hear it. How did you meet Dean?"

 

"The day he was born." Cas said, his voice soft. "His soul was beautiful, even then. But he grew more beautiful with purpose. When you were born Sam, his soul, his entire life gained direction."

 

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, that's enough." Sam muttered. It was Cas all right. No one else would talk about his brother with that kind of reverent awe. "What did I send you back for?"

 

"You need information. You have made the first choice, triggering my visit."

 

What choice?! Anger bubbled in his stomach. This was all impossible to understand and the Cas that wasn't his Cas was only staring at him, daring him to get angry. He wanted to scream at Castiel. He forced himself to take a slow, deep breath and waited for Cas to continue.

 

Castiel cleared his throat. "You made it clear that you wish to save Gabriel. That brought me here."

 

"My wanting to save Gabriel brought you here?" He asked, skepticism obvious in his voice. "Wait, does that mean there are other universes where I chose not to save him? I just let him die?!"

 

Castiel nodded. "Yes. There have been. In mine, however, you were given a visit similar to the one you are receiving now."

 

"And I saved him?" Sam pressed.

 

"You were given the ability. After that, it became a matter of free will."

 

Sam nodded. "So does that mean you are here to give me whatever ability it is that I need?"

 

Castiel shook his head. "No. It does not work that way for us. Your path ahead is a simple one Sam. If you wish to save Gabriel, you will be given the knowledge to do so."

 

"By you?"

 

"By a magic far deeper and much more powerful than I am able to control Sam. I am here to explain that once you make your next choice, you cannot take it back. It is permanent. For both you and Gabriel." He levelled a look at Sam before turning away.

 

"Wait, Cas- er, Castiel!"

 

Castiel turned and raised an eyebrow. "You do call me Cas in my universe."

 

Well thank fuck some things never change. "Am I happy? In your universe?"

 

Castiel paused for a moment before he nodded. "You are."

 

Sam grinned. "And did you and my brother finally stop eye-fucking and do something about it?"

 

Castiel took a much longer pause and frowned before turning away. "I must go now Sam. You run low on time. Go. Make your choices. Don't regret them and don't look back."

 

"Wait, Cas! Cas!!"

  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this lives up to the reputation of the first chapter!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sam jolted back into the seat of the Impala, his whole body jerking.

 

"What the fuck was that? Sammy, you all right?"

 

Sam shook his head and sucked in a deep breath. That Cas, or maybe their Cas had given him something. "I'll figure it out when I get there."

 

"Sammy, you can't 'figure it out' when it comes to Lucifer! He'll take you, torture you until you say yes, then the world is fucked!"

 

"Cas gave me something. I can get in and out." He watched Dean's eyes widen in surprise, and then narrow in suspicion.

 

"What's the 'something' then?"

 

Sam opened his mouth to say he didn't know. That he would know when the time came. But then he DID know. "It's the opposite of the banishing sigil. It's a bonding one. It will tie my fate to Gabriel's. Whatever his fate is, mine will be."

 

Dean tightened his hands on the wheel of the Impala. He'd already turned his baby around against his better judgement and was driving them back to the hotel. Damn Sam and his need to save everyone in this mess. "And where did you find this sigil?"

 

Sam looked at his brother. "Cas showed it to me." It was the truth. Sorta.

 

"So what makes you think he won't just kill Gabriel and thereby kill you, sending you to hell and straight into his clutches?"

 

He took a deep breath, watching the hotel come into view again. "Because angels don't go to hell when they die. Cas told us that."

 

Dean snarled. "Why do you want to do this for him? He tortured us both!"

 

Sam looked down at his hands. They weren't shaking like he had thought. "Because he is doing something I could never do to save us.  He is going to fight and try to kill his brother. I could never kill you Dean. Ever. Yet he is going to try and die trying for us. I can't...I can't let that happen. I can't."

 

"Lucifer is going to kill you!"

 

"He wouldn't dare. He needs me." Sam said, his voice taking on an edge that he hated using around his brother. "And I am going after Gabriel whether you like it or not Dean, because you would and have done the same damn thing for Cas!"

 

Dean sucked in a breath and slammed on the breaks in front of the hotel. "Take your favorite shotgun. And the holy oil. All of it. I don't care if you have a plan. Be prepared. I will be right behind you."

 

"No." Sam froze when the word left him without any conscious decision. "You have to go get Cas."

 

"I'm not leaving you to face this mess alone you dumbass!"  Dean climbed out of the car and walked over to the trunk, glancing over his shoulder as the ground shook beneath him.

 

Sam sucked in a breaths the explosions got louder and louder. They were running low on time. "Dean, we can't both go in-"

 

"Like hell we can't!" Dean stared at his brother and growled. "Go. I will be right behind you."

 

He didn’t know what made him do it.  All he knew was that if he let Dean follow him in, it would be a mistake.  A serious mistake.  Maybe it had been the look on Cas’ face when he asked about Dean.  

 

Sam stepped forward and swung hard, his fist connecting with Dean’s chin.  Dean stumbled and collapsed back against the Impala, his body limp.  He surged forward and caught Dean, cradling him carefully before opening the door and pushing him into the backseat.  He had to keep Dean safe.  

 

He did not bother grabbing any weapons out of the trunk.  Dean would need them.  He only needed his knife.  That was it.  He could feel all the power saturating the air around the hotel as the ground quaked again.   _Gabriel_.

 

He had thought it would be easy to find the two of them with the amount of noise they were making, but the hotel was falling apart around him, ripped apart by the fury of two archangels.  Sam cursed and dove forward as the ceiling started to collapse.  Damnit!

 

Then a sound, a sound he wouldn’t have called a scream under any other circumstance shook the air.  Yet he knew it was a scream.  Even worse, he knew who was screaming.  He reacted before he even thought of it, sprinting down the hallway.  

 

“Lucifer!  Stop!”  

 

He took the next corner hard, coming to the centre of the hotel which had been reduced to rubble.  Lucifer stood there, sword poised to sink into Gabriel’s chest, an eyebrow raised.  Sam swallowed and stared him down.  “Stop.”  

 

“Sam!”  Lucifer tossed Gabriel away from him and started to walk towards the human, his lips curling in a smirk.  “I knew you would come back for me!  Have you come to say yes?”  

 

Sam nodded slowly.  

 

“I don’t need to remind you that I require statements out loud Sam.”  Lucifer’s voice lowered to a quiet purr.  

 

“No, you don’t.  But my...agreement has a price.”  Sam crossed his arms and glared at Lucifer.  

 

Lucifer laughed.  “Of course it does.  Nevermind that you have no way to make sure I follow through on any promise I make, but, semantics.  Make your demands Sam.”  

 

Gabriel pushed himself to his feet, holding onto his side, blood and light dripping from the wound.  “Sam, what the hell are you doing here?  I stayed to get you out!  How could you come back, are you an idiot?!”  

 

Lucifer turned around and eyed his brother, shifting the grip on his angel blade.  “That’s quite enough out of you.  Goodbye brother.”  He raised the sword to strike.  

 

“He’s part of the deal Lucifer!”  Sam strode forward, placing himself between Gabriel and Lucifer’s blade.  The tip was only inches from his chest, but he met those cold blue eyes.  “You stay away from Dean, and you let me say goodbye to Gabriel.”

 

“Such a small list of things for you to request Sam, have the rest of your friends and relatives died helping you on your little quest?”  

 

Sam took a deep breath.  It would do him no good whatsoever to react and punch Lucifer in the face.  “That’s what I want.  That’s my deal.  I say it.  You swear on yourself that you will not touch Dean.”  

 

Lucifer lowered the blade and shrugged.  “I’m inclined to give you what you want Sam, so go ahead.  Say goodbye to your precious Gabriel.  I’ll leave your brother alone until he is a vessel for Michael.”  

 

He turned his back on Lucifer, a small worrysome tingle crawling up his spine.  One didn’t turn their back on the devil.  Not if they didn’t want to regret it.  Yet here he was.    He slipped his favorite knife out of his sleeve and sliced into his hand, making quick cuts as he stopped in front of Gabriel.  Golden eyes were glaring at him, angry and hurt for what he had done.  

 

“How could you come back?”  Gabriel hissed.

 

He gave a small shrug.  “I couldn’t leave you to die.”  Sam slipped his dagger back up his sleeve and looked at Gabriel.  He touched his un-cut hand to Gabriel’s over the wound in his side.  “Will you be all right?”  Gabriel gave him a look.  Sam winced.  He deserved that look after asking what he had.  

 

Gabriel sighed.  “What do you want Sam?  Want to flaunt it in my face that you are doing what I wanted after all, saying yes to Lucifer after you convinced me that the Winchester way was better?”  

 

Sam told the truth.  He couldn’t lie to Gabriel standing in front of him like he was.  He couldn’t do it.  “In true Winchester fashion...”  He lowered his voice and looked straight into Gabriel’s golden eyes, watching them widen in surprise when he revealed his bloody hand with a simple sigil carved into it.  “I’m here to rescue you.”  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and criticisms welcome!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. That certainly made things interesting....

 

He yanked Gabriel’s hand away from the wound in his side and pressed his bloody palm to it.  An electric shock travelled up his spine.  He could feel Gabriel’s grace leaking past his hand and he pressed his hand tighter.  

 

“S-Sam-”

 

“Samuel, what do you think you are doing?”  Lucifer’s voice cut across the rubble, clear and loud.  He had stepped away to give them privacy in their final moments.  The least he could do, of course.

 

The words.  He had to say the incantation.  Sam floundered for a moment before the words came to him.  Just like Cas had promised.  Latin, because they couldn’t be said in Enochian.  Not by a human.  

 

“Sam!”  

 

Sam closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Gabriel’s hair.  “Be it that I have no grace to offer, I bind myself to you with blood and soul Gabriel, Messenger of God.  My fate is yours and yours is mine.”  He opened his eyes and stared at Gabriel.  “Accept.”  Lucifer’s scream of rage cut across the rubble and Sam could hear the beat of his wings.  There was only a split second, just enough for Gabriel to say-

 

“Accept.”  

 

Gabriel pushed Sam, foolish bastard that he was, out of the way, raising his sword to meet Lucifer’s, his brother’s face contorted in rage.  

 

“You dare to perform that ceremony in front of me!  A sacred and holy ritual defiled by a human!”  He swung again, battering Gabriel with his grace, his sword blazing red, a mark from hell.  “You, mated with a human!  Gabriel, the Scourge of the Nephilim!  You disgrace all that you once stood for brother!”  Another slash cut across Gabriel’s grace and he watched his brother with glee.  “Do not worry.  You will not be mated long.”  Lucifer snarled.  

 

Sam pushed himself up, his head spinning.  Gabriel had shoved him out of the way and hadn’t bothered to restrict his strength.  He’d gone flying into a nearby wall.  He probably had a concussion.  But the bonding ritual had worked.  He could feel Gabriel...Gabriel!  He looked up and saw the archangel losing to Lucifer.  Anger and protectiveness surged through him.  How dare Lucifer attempt to harm his mate like that!  

 

“I’d think again Lucifer.  If you kill Gabriel, guess who else you kill?”  He waved at the two warring archangels, both of their eyes, one golden and pain-filled, the other furious and brilliant blue.  Both riveted to him.  

 

“All the better, then I get the both of you to myself in hell to torture for the rest of eternity.”  

 

“Except you don’t.”  Sam wiped off his pants, forgetting about his bloody hand until it was too late. This was dangerous.  He smirked and walked closer.  His cup of tea.  He was dangerously unarmed in a battle against archangels.  Not that there was a good way to be armed against archangels.  “No one knows what happens to angels when they die.  Even an archangel.”  

 

Lucifer froze, staring at Sam.  

 

Sam curled his lips in a smirk.  Game, set, match.  “So unless you wanna lose your chance against Michael, I suggest you let us both go, because of you kill Gabriel, you kill me.”  

 

His lips curled into a smirk.  “You certainly were made for me Sam.  Cunning, devious and completely without disregard for trouble your actions can cause.”  In an instant, Lucifer was inches from Sam’s face, breathing against his lips.  “But as cunning and smart as you are, you have foolish weaknesses.  Pride.  Arrogance.  Did you ever think what would happen if I killed you?”  

 

Sam felt Gabriel’s spike of panic through the bond, every inch of him frozen, thinking through the complications.  Gabriel would die.  Go to hell with him.  With them both.  Lucifer would win.  

 

“I see you’ve realized your mistake.  I will enjoy Gabriel’s company, and yours of course, for the rest of eternity.  You’ve made that possible Sam, and for that I thank you.  You do seem to play into my hands so well.”  

 

No.  No.  Sam wanted to shake his head, scream that he hadn’t meant that, that wasn’t what he had wanted to do.  He’d never wanted to give Lucifer what he wanted, or even let him out of the cage.  Yet here he was again.  Making the same mistakes over.  He might as well just say yes and start his life as a vessel.  He could feel Gabriel in the back of his mind, blocked off by the waves of negativity and self-loathing.  He’d forced Gabriel into this bond and now because of it, Gabriel would be tortured for the rest of eternity.  

 

Sam clenched his hands into fists, trying to think of something, of anything that they could do.  Lucifer would take his time killing him.  He’d failed.  Failed Cas and Gabriel.  And Dean.  He’d live the rest of his life as a vessel for Lucifer.  

 

Unless...

 

His head snapped up and he looked at Gabriel.  The archangel was pale and weakening by the second.  Sam could feel it.  Their eyes met.  Lucifer was talking again, but Sam could ignore it.  His mind was racing with an idea.  A choice.  Just like Cas had said.  It was a matter of free will.  A choice only he could make.  One he would gladly make to save Dean and Gabriel.  What happened to him didn’t matter.  

 

_‘I won’t Sam.’_

 

Gabriel’s presence felt so warm in his head.  He sounded musical and sweet.  Sam wanted to wrap himself in it and never let go. _‘We don’t have a choice.  Do it.  I agree.  Yes.  You have my permission to possess me Gabriel.’_

 

_‘And if it kills you?’_

 

The sadness that accompanied that statement was almost enough to make him change his mind.  Almost. _‘I’d deserve it for what I’ve done.  Hurry.  You have to get out of here.  You and Dean.  The sigils on my ribs will keep him from finding you.’_

 

Gabriel wanted to shake the younger Winchester until there was not a drop of self-sacrifice left in him.  It suited him too well.  

 

_‘Gabriel!’_

 

His gaze snapped to his elder brother.  Lucifer’s mouth was curled with a wicked smirk, promising pain.   _‘Close your eyes Sam.’_  

 

He clenched his eyes shut just as bright white exploded in the ruins of the hotel.  Another scream, this one of fury, tore the air in two, but it didn’t matter.  All he could hear, all he could feel was Gabriel, Gabriel all around him, so big and immense and it was painful.  He could feel every inch of Gabriel and everything the angel was feeling.  Gabriel was hurt.  He could feel the grace leaking from him as grace flooded his mind and body.  

 

He instinctively moved forward, wanting to sooth, to calm that hurt.  There was no way for a human to heal a grace wound, but if he patched the wound with pieces of his soul, it would stop the bleeding.  He knew this.  Just like he knew about the bonding sigil and the spell that went with it.  Piece by piece he ripped pieces of his damaged soul off and pressed them to the white light that was Gabriel.  Warm and soothing Gabriel.  This wasn’t a bad way to die.  Wrapped in Gabriel, saving an archangel.  There were far worse ways to go.  He would miss Dean, so fucking much, but Dean had Cas.  Cas would help him.  And Dean would understand.  Would know that he’d done it, he’d saved Gabriel.  

 

Distantly, he heard a horn.  French horn, maybe.  It was loud.  It reminded him of Gabriel.  It sounded like it was saying his name....

  
  
  



	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, we all knew that Sam was a self-sacrificing idiot, right? This is nothing new.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dean woke slowly, his jaw feeling like it had been hit by a fucking sledgehammer.  Goddamn Sam and his fucking huge hands.  The reason Sam had hit him had awareness surging through his body and he sat up.  They were in a motel room.  What the fuck was going on?!  

 

“Glad to see you’ve rejoined the world of the living Dean-o.”  

 

He looked at the other twin bed, glad to see Sam kneeling next to it.  On the bed was a real surprise though.  “Holy shit, you actually managed to save Gabriel?!”  

 

“Save right now is a matter of opinion.  I’m trying to make sure your idiot brother doesn’t do anything else stupid before I can give him his body back.”

 

It took him only a moment to realize what had happened.  “Gabriel?!  What the fuck are you doing?  Get out of Sam you sick fucking bastard!  He went back to save your ass, not get possessed by it!”  

 

“I’m fucking trying!  He’s not letting me go!”  Gabriel snarled, looking back down at the sight of the vessel on the bed.  “Your brother is an idiot, but this takes the cake!”  He clenched his hands into fists, enjoying the brief moment where he realized just how big his hands were.  

 

Dean blinked, shaking his head.  Gabriel’s style of speech in Sam’s voice was just fucking WRONG on so many levels.  “What do you mean he isn’t letting you go?”  

 

Gabriel pushed his hair out of his face.  How the hell did the moose deal with this mane of hair?  “Lucifer wounded my grace.  I was in a bad place, and the only way we were going to get out of there alive is if I possessed your brother.  He gave me permission, so I did.  Then your brother, in his ever-living idiot wisdom decided to rip off pieces of his soul to patch up the wounds in my grace.  If I leave him now, it’ll kill him.  He’s barely hanging on as it is.”  

 

“He ripped off pieces of his soul?!”  Dean pressed a hand to his chest, trying to imagine that feeling, of ripping the fabric of your being apart.  

 

He grit his teeth together.  “The shouting is not helping.  As I said.  Your brother is an idiot.  A prize one.”  Gabriel exhaled, shifting around to try and move his grace away from Sam.  “Every time I try to take one of his ‘patches’ off, it causes him pain.  The kind of pain that can kill you.  You need to call that hunter friend of yours.  Bobby.  And Castiel.”  

 

“What are they going to be able to do that an archangel-”

 

Gabriel focused on the small pieces of Sam he could still feel inside himself.  They were getting weaker by the hour.  Sam had stretched himself too thin.  He was dying.  “Dean-o.  Hurry.”  

 

Dean flipped open his phone, calling Cas first.  Nothing.  He tried twice more.  No answer.  He cursed and glared at his phone.  “Come on Cas.”

 

He looked at Dean standing next to the door for a moment.  “He was banished.  He’s weak.  Pray.  Loudly.”  

 

“Cas, I swear, if you do not get your feathery ass here right this second-”

 

“Dean.”  Gabriel growled.  

 

Okay that was WEIRD in Sam’s voice.  Boy should never growl.  “All right, all right.  Dear Cas, Angel of Thursday, I’m fucking worried about you, Sam and Gabriel are in a rough way and we need your help yesterday.  Please get your feathery ass here stat.”  

 

His lips curled in a quick smirk.  How like Dean.  Must be what Castiel loved so much about him.  “Good enough.”  

 

“How’s he gonna know where the hell we are?  Fuck, I don’t know where we are!”  

 

Gabriel lifted Sam’s hand and looked at Dean.  “Come here.”  He waited for Dean, then pressed a hand to his chest, pulling the weak bond between Dean and Castiel forward.  “Feel that?”  

 

“Yes, what the fuck is that?  What are you doing to me?”  

 

“Nothing.  Shut up and listen.  That’s your bond with Castiel.  On the other side is him.  Focus on that.  He’s on the other end.  Reach for him and tug.  He’ll be able to follow.”  Gabriel ordered.  “Now shut up.  I have to try to make sure your Sasquatch of a brother is still here when you get Castiel here.”  

 

It had been a very long time since he had exerted this much control over his grace.  The effort of keeping his grace subdued enough to avoid smothering Sam’s soul, combined with his wounds and trying to undo Sam’s handiwork was starting to wear him down.  He would not be able to keep this up for too much longer.  But he would try.  For Sam.

  
  
  
  
  


“-look Bobby, I know it sounds fucking ridiculous, but that’s what he did, and we have no idea how to reverse it.  Gabriel can’t hold onto Sam’s soul indefinitely.”  

 

“I don’t know what to tell you boy.  I’ve never heard of anything like what the angel is talking about.  It shouldn’t be possible.”

 

“Yeah, well, us Winchesters, always making the fucking impossible possible.”  Dean growled, running his hand through his hair.  His call to Cas hadn’t done them any good, the angel was still nowhere to be seen.  What was he supposed to do now?  If he interrupted Gabriel, that might mean losing Sam.  

 

“Have you asked the angel about doing exactly what Sam did?”  

 

Dean snapped back to attention.  “What?”  

 

“Idjit.  It seems to me that if it works one way, it’ll work the other.  See if he can piece Sam’s soul together with grace.”  

 

He liked that idea almost as much as the idea of Sam regularly drinking demon blood, but right now, without Cas, it was their only idea.  “All right.  I’ll call you and let you know whatever happens.”  

 

“Good.  You’ll be fine.  You two idjits have the best dumb luck of any hunters I’ve ever seen.”  

 

Dean bit his lip.  “Yeah.  Thanks Bobby.”  He didn’t wait for a response before he snapped the phone shut.  It was an idea.  And it might be one that saved Sam.  “Gabriel.”  

 

“This’d better be good Dean-o.”  Gabriel spoke through his teeth, his whole body tensing as he fought to control his grace.  

 

“The patch-job Sam gave you.  Can you do it to him?  With grace, or whatever?”  

 

Gabriel took a slow, deep breath.  “What...do you think...I need Castiel for?”  His grace wavered for a moment and he swayed on his knees.  He steadied himself, gripping the edge of the bed.  “I need him to show me how.  He did it with you.”  

 

“Cas knows how to do something you don’t?”  Dean asked, staring at Gabriel in surprise.  

 

He managed to get a short chuckle out.  “Believe it or not, angels don’t go handing their grace to just anyone.  If I don’t do this properly, I’ll overwhelm Sam and kill him.  Castiel’s the only one I know who has managed to piece a human soul back together with small pieces of his grace.”  

 

“There’s pieces of Cas inside me?!”  

 

“You’re as stupid as your brother.  What did you think ‘profound bond’ meant Dean-o?”

 

Dean snapped his mouth shut.  He hadn’t thought about it.  Clearly that was a mistake.  He’d need to talk to Cas about that.  

 

“So you need Cas here, yesterday.”  

 

“About two hours ago would have been ideal actually.”  Gabriel managed to get out, his lips curling in another smile.  “But yes, I need him.  Now.  Use that bond of yours and get him here.”  

 

“I don’t-”

 

“Figure it out!  Your brother is going to die soon, whether I want him to or not!”  Gabriel snarled, tightening his fingers on the edge of the bed.  Sam was so weak, barely a blip of consciousness inside him.   _Hold on Sam.  Please, hold on._

 

Dean sat down on the other bed and combed his fingers through his hair.  Whatever Gabriel had pulled inside him, he could still feel, but he had no idea how that was supposed to be Cas.  What was he talking about?  Honestly, it didn’t make any sense whatsoever.  

 

But if he didn’t figure out how to do what Gabriel said he could, Sammy was gonna die.  Again.  He groaned and closed his eyes.  Might as well try again, even if it hadn’t done any good the first time around.  

 

He imagined wrapping his hands around the bond inside him and tugged.  Just like earlier, when he tugged it, it gave and started to get pulled towards him.  Dean huffed and kept pulling.  It was exhaustive, like pulling a rope that had no end in sight.  

 

“Cas, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m trying here.  Sam, Sam needs you so badly.  Gabriel’s trying to help him, but he needs your help.  Please.  Follow this stupid fucking rope thing.  It leads to me.  Please.”  Dean closed his eyes and tugged again.  He could feel resistance on the other end this time, so he tugged harder.  It felt weighted down now, like there was something there he could pull on.  

 

“Come on Cas.  I know you got banished and you don’t have much in the way of mojo right now, but you gotta get here.”  Instead of pulling, Dean imagined himself reaching out, holding his hand out to Cas, to pull him in.  Weight filled his hand, so he waited until it was almost too heavy before he pulled with all of his strength.  

 

“Hello Dean.”  

 

His eyes shot open and he stared at the sight of Castiel leaning against the wall, his trenchcoat nearly falling off his shoulders.  “Cas!  Gabriel needs your help!”  

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we all spend a quick moment to picture Gabriel's voice coming out of Sam? The way he talks, everything? Never ceases to make me laugh and is my favorite part of this chapter.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas to save the day! ....kinda!
> 
> QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTE: Any words enclosed in -'s refer to something said in Enochian. Please understand that in this scene, Dean has no idea what is being said (more or less) between Cas and Gabe.

 

 

 

 

“I do not know how much help I can provide in my current situation, it took almost all of my remaining Grace to grab your hand and be pulled here.”  Castiel looked to the sight of Sam kneeling in front of Gabriel and tilted his head.  

 

“Gabriel has possessed Sam’s body.”  He stated, looking at his brother in confusion.  “And he has sustained Grace injuries.”  Castiel turned to look at Dean.  “How did he survive going up against Lucifer?”  

 

“Castiel.”  Gabriel said, his voice soft.  Sam was slipping through his fingers.  They were out of time.  “Dean.  Come here.”  

 

Dean was by Sam’s...Gabriel’s side in a moment.  “What’s wrong?  What’s going on?”  

 

Gabriel held out his hand, ignoring the way it trembled.  “Hold onto me.  Call out to Sam.  Just like you did with Cas now.  He’s trying to leave.  Don’t let him.”  His eyes slid over to Castiel, standing next to him.  He felt Dean grip his hand, felt the surety of the Righteous Man surge through him.  They would save Sam.  They would not fail.  

 

“-Castiel, show me how you pulled Dean’s soul back together.-”  Gabriel whispered, Enochian slipping easily off his tongue.  

 

“-We may not have enough time.  I am weak, and he is fading.-”  

 

“-I will not let him die.-”  

 

“-He is your bonded?-”  

 

Gabriel gave a small nod and extended his hand to Castiel.  “-Bonded himself to me to save me.  I’ll have to talk to him about that.-”  

 

“-You understand he will not be the same when you bring him back?  He has lost too much of his soul to be fully human again.-”  Castiel took Gabriel’s hand and inhaled slowly.  Sam’s soul was so weak and faded.  There might be no saving him.  

 

“-Child of Thursday, he is the mate of an archangel.  Death is not enough to keep him from me.  A mixed soul just makes things interesting.-”  Gabriel felt the small surge of Grace from his brother and frowned.  Castiel really was losing Grace at an alarming rate.  He would have to fix that.  After they saved Sam.

 

“-As you wish Deliverer of the Word.-”  

 

Gabriel smiled at the old name.  He missed them at times.  He felt Castiel’s consciousness meld slowly with his, and with it, the knowledge of what he needed to do.  Dean called to his brother and Gabriel watched Sam’s soul flicker and grow the smallest bit stronger.  Those two really did feed off of each other.  

  
  
  
  
  
  


Dean was yelling at him.  He didn’t know why.  He’d done it, he’d saved an archangel.  He hadn’t done anything wrong, not this time.  Everyone would be rid of him, he’d no longer be a problem.  Maybe Gabriel would stay in his body and prevent Lucifer from using him as a vessel.  

 

Their voices kept fading in and out as he floated.  He wondered if this was what heaven was - Dean yelling at him, ordering him around like always.  

 

Except, then it wasn’t just Dean.  There were other voices.  Then that beautiful music (it must be a French Horn) was playing again.  Why did it always sound like his name?  There was another sound too, accompanying the French Horn.  It sounded lower, not as strident but just as powerful.  Soothing.  Clarinet?  Was heaven full of music like this?

 

The music grew steadily louder.  Sam allowed himself to close his eyes and enjoy it.  It seemed to be wrapped around him, holding him tightly.  Perhaps this was heaven, curling around him to protect him.  He didn’t deserve to go to heaven, but this was beautiful.  He never wanted the music to stop.  

 

The music kept playing, still so close to him, but Dean’s voice was getting louder and louder, interrupting the music.  He frowned.  Dean was interrupting.  He pushed at Dean’s voice, not wanting to hear it anymore.  He didn’t deserve to be yelled at, he’d saved Gabriel.  

 

It was too loud now.  Almost painful, but he could hear his name much more clearly.  His name.  It hurt.  He wanted to run away.  He had to get away from this music.  He turned and started to run.  His feet touched nothing, but he knew he was moving away from the music.  It was growing quieter by the second.  It was almost gone.  

 

He just wanted to stop, to rest.  He had to.  He was so tired.  Why wouldn’t anyone let him rest?

 

Then he heard another music.  It was soft.  Welcoming.  Chimes.  A hundred tones all at once.  Warm, inviting.  Coaxing him closer.  He moved closer to it.  It didn’t increase in volume like the other music had.  It stayed soft.  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

“What going on?!”  

 

“Cas, help me-”

 

“He’s turning away from us, he doesn’t understand who-”

 

“Is that Lucifer?”  Dean shouted.  “Sam, get your ass back here!”  

 

“Dean, use memories, your voice isn’t enough!”  Gabriel ordered.

 

“What the fuck are you-”

 

“Now!”

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

Dean clenched Sam’s hand tighter.  What the fuck did use his memories mean?  How was he supposed to get Sam back with his memories?  

 

The night of the fire first came to mind.  His Dad had shoved Sam into his arms and ordered him out of the house, across the street and to safety.  He hadn’t let go of Sam all night, even when Dad came out of the house alone.  The next day he had made a promise to Sam.  A promise to always protect and take care of Sammy.  Sam was his responsibility.  

 

He hadn’t always been able to.  But he’d tried.  Tried to protect Sammy.  To save him when he didn’t want to be saved.  Dean remembered his deal, remembered Sam’s face when he told him what he had done.  The last year they had spent together.  The sound of hellhounds coming to get him and Sam refusing to leave.  

 

_You can’t leave me Sammy.  Not after all of this.  Please._

 

He’d failed.  He’d tried so hard to be the best big brother he could, and it hadn’t been enough, it hadn’t been good enough.  

 

He was going to lose Sam again.  He couldn’t.  He wouldn’t.  He held onto Sam’s hand tighter, refusing to let go.  “You feel that Sam?  That’s me.  I’m not letting you go.  I can’t.  I made you a promise.  I know I’ve hurt you, we’ve hurt each other, but you gotta come back to me, to Gabriel now.  Please Sammy.  Please.”  Dean whispered, clenching his eyes shut, trying to think of other memories.  

 

Sam’s first day of school, how excited he had been, how Dean had cut his classes in third grade and watched over Sammy to make sure he was all right.  The books he managed to steal from thrift shops over the years for Sam.  Christmases, even if they were nothing more than a piece of pie bought at a local diner.  Sam’s first cheeseburger before he decided he liked salads better.  The first time Sam came to him for dating advice.  The first time Sam called him a jerk when Dean called him a bitch.  

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

Sam was almost to the chimes now.  He could barely hear the horn anymore.  Then he heard Dean again.  Dean was thinking about him.  About their life.  Dean was telling him to come back, that where he was going was dangerous.  He didn’t understand why.  The chimes didn’t feel dangerous.  

 

Sam stopped and turned back towards the horn and Dean.  It got a little louder.  Why was he walking away from Dean?  It was Dean.  He could always trust Dean.  Even when Dean hurt him.  

 

The tone of the chimes changed and the sound started to hurt.  It sounded harsher, the notes no longer melodic.  There was an air of desperation around them.  

 

He ran again.  This time back towards the horn, towards Dean.  Dean wouldn’t lie to him, wouldn’t hurt him on purpose.  He could trust Dean.  The chimes were loud now, screeching, right behind him.  Something was chasing him, coming after him.  He ran faster, afraid of what would happen if the chimes caught him.  

 

Dean wasn’t far now.  He could feel Dean, reaching for him, wanting to grab him and pull him close.  He was right there, but the chimes weren’t far away, they were just as loud.  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Gabriel, you had better be ready when he gets here because I-”

 

“Just get him here Dean.” Castiel interrupted, holding onto Gabriel tightly.  Gabriel was having to use large amounts of his Grace to put Sam’s soul back together.  Sam would no longer be completely human.  “You’re doing well, just get him here, Lucifer is trying to pull him back in.”  

 

Dean grunted.  Sam was almost back to them, he could see it, Sam’s soul, running towards them with a dark cloud hovering behind him.  He had no idea what Gabriel and Cas were doing, but if they weren’t going to catch Sam, then it was going to have to be him.  He concentrated and held out his hand, the same way he always would with Sam.   _Come on Sam.  You’re almost here, I’ve got you.  Come on!_

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

Sam could hear Dean, Dean was there, cheering him on, saying that he was almost there.  The horn was loud, clashing with the chimes, so he ignored the sound and reached for Dean.  Dean went to Hell for him, Dean would never let go.   _Dean!_

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

“I’ve got him!”  Dean shouted, but he couldn’t hear his voice.  The dark cloud was coming closer, even as he wrapped himself tightly around Sam’s soul, and it was so small, much smaller than it should be.  Sam was hurting, he had to protect his little brother.  Cas and Gabriel would save him, he’d gotten Sam back.  He hadn’t failed.  Sam was back.

  
  
  
  


 

 

 

Dean was vaguely aware of Cas shouting, ordering him to close his eyes before the room was filled with blinding white light.  He felt Sam, or Gabriel in Sam’s body start to sag, but he didn’t have enough strength to catch him before he started to fall.  

  
  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I have a thing for analogies. So Gabriel is a French Horn, Cas is a Clarinet and Lucifer is a set of Chimes. I really like these. Thoughts?


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say how much I love writing Sam in this? He's the perfect combination of pissed and heartbroken.

  
  
  


Castiel caught Dean before he collapsed and carried him over to the other bed.  Gabriel was slowly maneuvering Sam onto the other bed.  “You were worried.”  

 

Gabriel slowly stroked his fingers down Sam’s cheek.  Would Sam hate him when he realized what he had done?  His mate?  His heart clenched at the thought and he leaned down to press a slow kiss to Sam’s forehead.  “Lucifer almost had him.  He turned away from all of us.”  

 

“He came back.”  Castiel said, his voice soft.  He looked at Dean and in a moment his leather jacket was hanging over a chair and his boots were by the end of the bed.  

 

“Because Dean called him.”  

 

Castiel turned to look at his brother.  His tone was one of sadness and hurt.  His mate had not come when he called.  The idea alone was painful.  He could not imagine the reality for Gabriel.  “Sam did not know it was you.  He does not know what he did with that sigil.”  

 

Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment and debated how much to tell Castiel.  “He did actually.  He knew exactly what it would entail.”

 

“Where would he find information on angelic mating-”

 

“You.”  

 

He looked at Gabriel for a long moment, turning the answer over in his mind.  “I have told them nothing.”

 

“I know you haven’t Little Bro.  Yet, Sam has clear memories of a Castiel that wasn’t his, giving him instructions on how to save me.”  Gabriel sighed and rubbed his forehead.  “I should leave.  He will not want me here when he awakens.”  

 

Castiel frowned.  “He is your mate Gabriel.  He will always want you with him.”  

 

“The Winchester boys will never want me here and that is the truth.  Take good care of them Castiel.”  Gabriel said, walking closer to his brother.  He wrapped Castiel in his arms and let his Grace flood into the small Seraph.  He would make sure Castiel could keep his mate safe.  “Help Sam learn to adjust.”  

 

“Gabriel-”

 

“I think he’ll take to it rather well, being part-angel.  He always did have faith.”  Gabriel looked at his mate laying on the bed before turning away.  “Call me if you need me Castiel.”  

 

Castiel watched Gabriel disappear and looked back at the brothers.  He closed his eyes as the fading sound of Gabriel, The Messenger of Heaven to those that could hear his true voice, disappeared.  What had Sam done to him?

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sam normally woke up to Dean throwing something at him, whether it was a pillow or his duffle depended on how nice Dean was feeling.  To wake up instead to a softly-lit room and a bed big enough for his frame was a luxury he wasn’t expecting.  His head was pounding.  

  
“Good morning Sam.”  

  
Sam sat up slowly and looked at Castiel, rubbing his head. His gut was churning wildly, almost like he was about to be sick. "Cas? Where's Gabriel? Where are we?" He saw Dean laying on another bed next to his and relaxed. Dean was okay.

  
"I am not sure where we are Sam. And Gabriel has left for the time being." Castiel looked at Sam on the bed and frowned. His Grace was churning within him.

  
His stomach dropped. Gabriel wasn't here? Why wasn't he? Was he hurt? "Why isn't he here? Is he all right?"

  
"He will be fine Sam. Thanks to the help that you gave him. You saved him." Castiel pressed his hand to Sam's stomach and eased him back to the bed.

  
"I saved him?" Sam's lips curled into a slow smile. He'd managed it. Saved Gabriel. Dean was okay. Cas was okay. He did it.

  
Castiel tilted his head and looked at Sam. "You doubted yourself?"

  
Sam took a deep breath. "Of course. He's an archangel. Who am I?"

  
"The mate of an archangel now. Part angel. You can no longer be Lucifer's vessel." Castiel stated.

  
"W-what?"

  
Castiel tilted his head again. "You mated yourself to Gabriel. You can no longer be the vessel of-"

  
"Part angel?!"

  
He looked at Sam, frowning. "Yes. You sacrificed pieces of your soul to save Gabriel. He could not give those pieces back without killing you. He filled them with his Grace."

  
Sam swallowed hard and closed his eyes. Cas had told him that he wouldn't be able to go back. This was permanent. He opened his hand and stared at the cuts he had carved into his own hand. "Why?"

  
"You are his mate Sam. He would give everything he is to save you, should it be required."

  
"But he isn't here." Sam said, the sick feeling growing in his stomach.

  
Castiel considered telling Sam what Gabriel had told him. But Sam's grace was rapidly growing more agitated. He had to teach him more about it.  How to control it. "I need to teach you how to control your Grace."

  
"I have my own now?" Sam looked at Cas in surprise.

  
"Yes."

  
"But it came from Gabriel, isn't it technically his?"

  
Castiel considered this for a moment. "No. It is now a part of your soul, of you. It is your Grace Sam."

  
Sam smiled. "So I am a little bit Angel now?"

  
"Almost half of your soul is now comprised of Grace Sam." Castiel stated, watching his reaction carefully. He was not sure how the human would react to this news.

  
"So...a lot angel."

  
Castiel's lips quirked into a quick smile. "Indeed."

  
"Well, then I guess we had better get started." Sam said, grinning at Cas.

  
"We will start with flying."

  
  
  
  
  


  
Gabriel watched as his mate lit up at the mention of flying. Sam would never be able to manifest his wings into a physical form, but he would be able to use them to travel from place to place. Like they did.

  
He fought the surge of jealousy that went through him as Castiel taught Sam how to harness his Grace. The kid was quick. He was beautiful. When Cas showed Sam how to spread his wings, Gabriel forced himself to stay where he was. He would not be the one to teach his mate how to fly. The idea felt wrong in every possible way. It should be him teaching Sam. No one else.

 

  
  
  
  


"Wait, if we go flying, no one will be here with Dean. I have to wait until he wakes up." Sam took a slow breath and focused on getting his Grace back under control.

  
"You could do that. Or I could take you flying Sasquatch." Gabriel stepped forward, holding out his hand. "Come on. Let's leave the profoundly bonded here to stare longingly at each other."

  
Sam stared at Gabriel, his Grace flaring up again. "You can teach me?"

  
"Gabriel is the one who taught me how to fly." Castiel said, walking back over to Dean's side. He let his lips curl into a small smile.  His plan had been successful.  

  
“It’s like riding a bike kiddo.”  

  
It was a conscious decision.  Something inside him was, was singing at the thought of Gabriel being the one to teach him to fly.  Sam reached out and took Gabriel’s hand, enclosing it in his own.  His heart jumped, beating faster.  “Show me.”  He had a moment to admire six huge shadows as they burst from Gabriel’s back before Dean, Cas and the hotel room disappeared.

  
  


 

It seemed like days later, after Gabriel taught Sam how to find Castiel by locating his Grace, that they came back to the hotel room.  His Grace felt warm and bright inside him, still pulsating with power after he had flown among the stars with Gabriel.  

  
Castiel was sitting next to Dean, who it looked like had just sat up and was asking about Sam.  

  
“What do you mean you don’t know where they’ve-SAM!”  

  
Sam grinned and strode over to the bed, wrapping his arms around Dean, hugging him tight.  Even though the chick-flick moment passed, Sam had a hard time letting go of Dean.  He could see Dean’s soul now, the way it surged up to meet his, making sure he was all right.  

  
“Where the hell were you?  Scared the shit out of me when Cas said you went off with Gabriel.”  Dean demanded, letting go of Sam, frowning at him.  

  
“What can I say.  The Milky Way is gorgeous this time of year.”  Sam gave his brother a big grin at the stunned look on his face.  The sound of Gabriel laughing behind him only made the happiness settle deeper into his stomach.  He’d pleased his mate.  The visceral thought shot through him and more than anything else, he wanted to pull Gabriel into his arms.  His mate.

  
“I’ll leave you three to play catch up with Dean-o.  Might as well tell him the Apocalypse got called off.”  Gabriel didn’t look at Sam again before he snapped himself away.    
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say really quickly how much I adore the idea of angels flying among the stars? I know, realistically, it's more than that and these stars are hundreds of years, but for creatures who can bend time and are actually the size of skyscrapers or bigger and don't have a human form? I just...bending time and space to actually fly among the stars seems like an easy thing in comparison.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaaaaaangst. And then some BrOTPing. <3

  
  
  
  
  
  


“Wait, no, Gabriel!”  Sam held out his hand, staring at the spot that Gabriel had been standing in moments before.  The buzzing delight of flying with Gabriel was wearing off.  In it’s place was the heavy, sad knowledge that his mate was gone again.  He hadn’t had long to think about this whole bonding-business before he’d shackled himself to Gabriel, but he had not expected it to be so painful.  Nor had he expected that he would miss Gabriel this fiercely.  

  
“Sam, what the hell is going on?!”  Dean shouted, glaring at his brother.  The kid looked heartbroken now that Gabriel had left the room, still staring at the empty spot in front of him.  

  
Castiel looked from Dean to Sam, curious as to why he was so angry.  “Dean, perhaps if Sam was left to gather his thoughts-”

  
“No!”  Dean snarled, pushing himself out of bed and ignoring how it made his head swim.  “One of you is going to tell me what the hell is going on and you are going to do it right this second!”

  
Sam spun to look at his brother and took in the way he was swaying on his feet.  “Lay down Dean.  I’ll explain everything as best I can.”  

  
Dean grunted and crossed his arms over his chest, glowering at Sam.  “Starting with why you decided to lay me flat before charging in after Lucifer and Gabriel.”  

  
He gave a small nod and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it.  “Starting with that.  Yes.”  Sam waited until Dean was sitting back on the bed again before he bent his head.  “Cas, can you fill in some parts?”  

  
“Of course Sam.”

  
Sam nodded and sighed.  He felt tired.  Gabriel wasn’t here anymore.  He’d left, for whatever reason he could have for leaving him.  

  
“Sam?”  Dean questioned, only barely managing to keep the growl out of his voice.  

  
Sam looked up at Dean.  “You would have died if you had followed me.” He said simply.  He knew it with a certainty he shouldn’t have, since Cas had never said as much.  “I couldn’t let you die Dean.  I couldn’t.”  

  
Dean exhaled in frustration and trailed his fingers through his hair.  “You don’t know that Sam.”

  
“But I do.”  Sam said, his voice soft.  “When Cas-”  He cut himself off and looked up at the angel.  “Not you, Cas, but another.  From...somewhere else.  When Cas told me about the binding spell, I asked about you.  Where you were.  His answer...”  Sam let the words trail off.  The bone-deep sadness he had seen in those eyes.  He’d known.  

  
“You just trusted this random thing that said they were Cas?!”  Dean shouted.

  
Sam shook his head.  “No.  It was Cas.”

  
“It could have been-”

  
“He is not lying Dean.  Another of myself met Sam and gave him the knowledge that he now possesses.”  

  
Dean levelled a glare at Cas and took a breath.  “How is that possible?”

  
Castiel looked at Dean, tilting his head.  “Angels are capable of travelling through time Dean.  I have travelled with you previously.”  

  
“Why would you do that?” Dean shot back.

  
Sam’s eyes widened.  “I had him sent back.  I asked Gabriel to send him back.”  Cas had said he was happy.  Cas had been mourning someone.  Dean.  His Sam had not knocked out Dean.  His mind swam with the possibilities.  There had to have been plenty of universes out there where Gabriel died, where Sam did not go back to save him from Lucifer.  His hand throbbed slowly, painfully, reminding him of the bond with Gabriel.  “Because I would trust Cas on sight.  No one else.  Lucifer has masqueraded as you Dean, as Dad, as-as Jess.”  

  
“Why?”  

  
He looked at Dean.  Dean wasn’t snarling anymore, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t furious.  “I made the choice here.  The conscious choice to want to save Gabriel.  That triggered Cas coming back to see me.”  

  
“What about this whole bonding shit?”  

  
Sam opened his mouth to reply, but stopped himself and looked at Cas.  “Cas?  What does the bonding mean?”  

  
Dean exploded again.  “You mean you don’t fucking know?!”

  
“I know what it fucking feels like Dean!  Which I can’t describe to you if I tried, so I want Cas to attempt to, since he at least knows what it involves!”  Sam shouted back at him, pleased to see Dean snap his mouth shut.  He didn’t want to describe his aching loneliness to Dean.  How it felt to not have Gabriel here, by his side.  How it felt to have the word ‘mate’ circling in his brain, beating in his heart, but have that other half of him not there to share it.  Flying with Gabriel had been a taste of what he really wanted.  

  
“Their souls are bound together for eternity.  It is the equivalent of human marriage, but permanent.  Sam ensured this when he gave up pieces of his soul to save Gabriel.  Gabriel did the same when he used Grace to pull Sam back together.  They are bound on a deeper level than even the bond originally intended.”

  
“Oh, speaking of ripping off pieces of your soul to give to an archangel who has tortured us!”  Dean turned to glare at Sam again.  “What were you thinking?”

  
Sam cleared his throat.  “I had to save Gabriel.  Protect you.  And Cas.  Saving Gabriel meant I would get all of that.  Didn’t matter what happened to me.”  

  
Dean forced himself up again, reaching out to grab Sam’s arm.  “‘m supposed to protect you Sammy.  Not the other way around.”  

  
“Well, you’d better get used to that.”  Sam said, reaching out and squeezing Dean’s shoulder.  “I’m not exactly all human anymore after that stunt I pulled with Gabriel.”  

  
Dean frowned, looking Sam over.  “What are you talking about?”  

  
Sam glanced over at Castiel, who was pointedly looking away from them.  “Cas?”  

  
“Almost half of Sam’s soul is now comprised of Grace.  Grace that, while now his, once belonged to an Archangel.”  

  
“Which means....?”  Dean raised an eyebrow at the both of them, wanting it spelled out, clearly for him.  

  
“I’m uh.  Part angel.  A lot angel.”  Sam said, running his fingers through his hair.  His grace churned inside him.  Admitting that felt odd.  Like he was saying he was no longer Dean’s brother.  

  
Dean watched Sam’s face, the uncomfortable-scrunched up look that he hadn’t seen since Sam had announced he was going to Stanford and sighed.  He looked like he was going to be rejected.  Again.  “Sammy.”  Dean slid his legs over the edge of the bed until he was sitting side-by-side with Sam.  He bumped their shoulders together.  “Sammy, look at me.”  

  
Sam didn’t want to see the look on Dean’s face.  The disappointment.  He’d screwed up again.  He took a deep breath and glanced up at Dean through his hair.  

  
“Fuck you are such a girl.  Come here.” Dean growled, wrapping his arm around Sam’s shoulders and pulling until Sam’s head rested against his chest.  He combed his fingers through Sam’s long hair for a moment and waited until he relaxed.  “I don’t give a fuck.  Okay.  Relax.  I’m not gonna leave.”  Dean felt Sam’s hand press against his stomach and then tangle in the shirt he was wearing, holding on tight.  

  
His voice dropped to a lower level.  He could feel Sam’s hands shaking.  “I’m not gonna leave Sammy.  You’re always gonna be my little brother.”  Dean combed his fingers through Sam’s hair again, holding him close.  He looked up at Castiel, their eyes meeting.  Cas gave him a small nod and a hint of a smile before disappearing.  

  
Sam closed his eyes and sagged against Dean.  He was so tired.  So, so tired.  After learning to control his Grace and flying with Gabriel, bone deep exhaustion picked at him.  Then Gabriel leaving again.  His mate had left him.  But Dean wouldn’t leave.  Dean was still his brother and wouldn’t leave him.  

  
Dean sighed again and shifted back on the bed.  “Come on.  Stretch out.  If we’re going to keep this chick flick moment going, I’m at least going to be comfortable.” He demanded, pushing and pulling at Sam until they were stretched out on the bed, side-by-side, Sam’s head still pressed against his chest.  “Sleep Sammy.”  He ordered, his voice soft.  Just like it had been when they were kids.  

  
He relaxed and leaned against Dean, inhaling the scent he knew by heart.  Whisky, gun oil and something that belonged only to his brother.   _Dean_.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean is the best big brother ever. Seriously.


	8. Chapter Eight

  
  
  
  
  
  


Castiel looked in on the two brothers and was pleased to see them on the bed together, Dean’s arm protectively around Sam.  He had known that Dean would not turn away from Sam, no matter what, but it calmed him to see it.  He turned to the corner of the room at the sound of wings and found Gabriel there, watching them.

  
“He’s all right?”  

  
Castiel nodded, still watching Gabriel carefully.  “Exhausted from the day.  He informed Dean as well.  Dean took it well.  He did not leave.”

  
Gabriel flinched, hearing the censure in that tone.  “Don’t have a choice.  I told you that Cas.  Neither of them want me around.”  

  
“Sam wants you here.  He does not understand why you leave.”  Castiel said simply.  

  
“He’ll be fine once he gets used to the-”

  
“Gabriel.”  Castiel stepped closer to the Archangel and reached out to touch his face.  His Grace flared, reaching out to touch and commune with the other angel.  He felt Gabriel hesitate for only a moment longer before his Grace answered in kind.

  
It had been an impossibly long time since he had last communed with one of his siblings. Gabriel let the feel of Castiel's Grace, still as earnest as it had been the day he was born, wash over him in slow waves.

  
"You are still injured."

  
Gabriel winced at the reproach in Castiel's voice. He was. Sam's soul had gone a long way to helping him heal much quicker than possible, but the wounds were still there. "Luci is stronger than I gave him credit for."

  
"You should not have given me so much of your Grace so soon after healing Sam. You would have been healed by now." Castiel said, his Grace pulsing slowly in time with Gabriel's.

  
“Cas, stop-”

  
“You need it.”  Castiel said simply, stepping closer to Gabriel, wrapping his Grace around his brother, offering what little comfort that he could.  

  
He sighed and shook his head.  “You want me to stay, don’t you?”

  
Castiel tilted his head to the side.  “Your mate wishes you would stay.”

  
“What of yours?”  Gabriel was pleased to see the surprise on Castiel’s face.  “I know what that brand means, even if Dean is too stubborn to understand.”

  
“I will be what I have always been to Dean Gabriel.”  

  
“A shitty mode of transportation?”  Gabriel was pleased to see Castiel’s lips move in the slight imitation of a smile.  His brother’s Grace surged through him, filled with love and affection.  

  
Castiel waited a moment before voicing his question again.  “You need to speak with Sam Gabriel.  He needs to understand.”  

  
Gabriel sighed.  “I’m going to do what’s right and leave them alone.”  

  
“Like you left Sam alone today?”

  
He narrowed his eyes at Castiel.  “You are too perceptive for your own good little brother.  Go back to being the overly innocent angel.”  

  
“You spent months trying to make Sam accept that losing his brother was a fact he would have to deal with.  I have never known you to be so concerned with the affairs of one human.”

  
“Are you sure you can’t go back to being innocent?”  

  
“Gabriel.  Sam does not know everything about this bond.  He does not know it must go both ways to be real.  That for you, there is no-”

  
“Cas.  Drop it, okay?”  

  
Castiel frowned at Gabriel, but wrapped his Grace tighter around his brother.  “I am worried for you.”  

  
Gabriel allowed himself one moment, just one, of leaning into Castiel and taking the offered comfort before he drew away and let his Grace sink back into his vessel.  “Who?  Me?  I’ll be fine.”  

  
"Will you speak with Sam?"

  
"I asked you to drop it Cas."

  
Castiel frowned. "All right brother. I shall do as you ask."

  
He relaxed and nodded. "Call if you and the boys get into trouble you cannot handle."

  
"I will."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Sam, where are you going?”  

  
Sam stretched and grabbed the keys to the Impala.  “There was a diner a few miles back.  I’ll grab us some food.”  If he was also going to take the chance to pray to Gabriel, well, that was his own business.  

  
“You and Cas keep at it, let me know if you find anything when I get back.”  Sam smiled at Dean’s grunt.  “Yes, if they have pie, I will get you pie.”  Dean grinned at him quickly before turning back to the books on the table.  

  
It wasn’t cold yet outside, but it was a gorgeous night.  If he didn’t think that Dean would have another fit, Sam probably would have gone flying again.  But he hadn’t been since that first night with Gabriel.  It didn’t feel right without him.  

  
At first he had thought that maybe Gabriel had things to do. Stuff up in heaven, or as a trickster. But then he started seeing Gabriel around their cases. Down a block or two on the other side of the street, or he would catch sight of a green jacket flapping around a corner. Or the sound of a snap echoing down a hallway.

  
But now three months had gone by and he hadn't appeared.  Or said a word to him.  It was obvious that he had forced Gabriel into this bond and he wanted nothing to do with it.  Gabriel could have at least told him that.  Instead of leaving him to figure it out on his own.  He was getting tired of Cas’ sad looks.  

  
Sam hopped into the Impala and sighed.  If he didn’t leave soon, Dean was going to get suspicious.  He pulled out of the parking lot and started down the road.  

  
The trouble with this whole Gabriel thing was how much it hurt.  He hadn’t been expecting that.  But he also hadn’t been banking on Gabriel being able to stay away for this long.  Sam drove a couple of miles down the road before pulling off and climbing out of the car.  He didn’t walk far, and made sure to keep the Impala in sight.  Just far enough for what he wanted to do.  

  
He stuffed his hands into his pockets and sighed again.  “Hey Gabriel?  Look, I get that you aren’t going to come just because I’m asking, but I wanted to tell you.  I’ve seen you around all of our cases.  You’re doing a shit job of hiding.  If you want to stay away that badly, just stay away.  If you have to be around because of the bond or whatever, do it when I’m asleep so I don’t have to see you, all right?”  

  
Sam waited a minute to see if there would be any response.  He hadn’t expected one, so he didn’t know why it mattered to him.  He turned and walked back to the Impala, sliding into the front seat.  He clenched his hands around the steering wheel before he turned the car on and started driving to the diner again.  

  
He didn’t see Gabriel standing on the shoulder of the highway just behind the Impala.  He didn’t see Gabriel look down at the ground for a long moment before he disappeared.  

  
  
  
  
  



	9. Chapter Nine

  
  
  
  
  


“Cas?”

  
Castiel looked up from the book and looked at Dean.  “Yes Dean?”  

  
“Could you tell Gabriel to pull his head out of his ass?  I’m tired of seeing Sam do his best impression of a teenage girl.”

  
“I don’t-”

  
Dean looked up from his book and stared at Cas.  Time seemed to stretch out for an unreasonably long moment as their eyes met.  “Sam misses Gabriel.”  

  
“Gabriel believes you and Sam would be far happier if he were to stay away.”  

  
“Yeah, well, he’s a fucking idiot.  Sam’s miserable.  It’s pissing me off.  Tell him to fucking fix it already.”  

  
Castiel looked away from Dean.  “I have tried.  He has asked me to...’drop it.’”

  
Dean watched Castiel give the air quotes and fought a smile.  “Then I guess it’s up to me to knock some sense into an archangel.  Excellent.  I’m gonna go get the holy oil.”  

  
Castiel watched as Dean did just that and walked to the door before looking back at him.  

  
“You comin’ Cas?”  

  
He stood up from the chair and walked over to Dean.  “You will need my help with the summoning.”  

  
Dean laughed and wrapped an arm around Castiel’s shoulders.  “That’s the spirit!”  It looked like Sam was still off getting food.  Dean quickly drew the circle and waited for Cas to finish it off.  

  
“All right, let’s do this.”  

  
“Gabriel will be upset that we have summoned and trapped him in holy fire.”  Castiel pointed out, coming to stand beside Dean.  “He was not pleased when you did it the first time.”  

  
“Yeah, well, this time I’m doing it for my own good.  And Sams.”  

  
“Cover your ears Dean.”  Castiel waited for his human to do as he had asked before he called for Gabriel in his True Voice.  Gabriel appeared only moments later, standing in the circle, glaring at them.  

  
Gabriel looked at Castiel, refusing to acknowledge Dean.  “What am I doing here?”  

  
“Dean wished to speak with you.”

  
“So you decided to trap me in a circle of Holy Oil?”  He could see Castiel’s guilty expression and turned to raise an eyebrow at Dean.  “Think I wouldn’t come when you called Dean-O?”

  
Dean shrugged.  “You’ve been ignoring Sam easily enough, I figured I was under the same ban.”

  
Gabriel would not allow himself to raise to the easy bait that Dean offered.  “I have not been ignoring Sam.”  

  
“No?”  Dean raised an eyebrow.  “So he’s acting like a rejected teenage girl because of some other archangel that he’s bonded to?”  When Gabriel didn’t respond, he growled.  “Look, if you aren’t interested in the kid, at least quit this disappearing bullshit and tell him.  Let him move on.  He’s been emoing over you for long enough.”  

  
He rolled his eyes at Dean and turned to look at Castiel.  “Let me out.”  

  
“No.”  Castiel looked at the ring of fire and nodded.  “You will stay.  Sam will come back and you two will speak.  As you should have.”  

  
Gabriel’s voice dropped, low and angry.  “You cannot keep me here little Castiel.”  

  
“I will not break the circle.”  

  
“Let me out Castiel!”  

  
“I will not allow you to run from your mate again.  You punish yourself without need Gabriel.”  Castiel said, watching Gabriel advance on the edge of the fire.  “There is no need to any longer.”

  
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it Castiel?”  Gabriel struck at the oil barrier, hissing when the fire flared up to block him.  

  
Castiel tilted his head and looked towards the road.  Sam was on his way back and would be there shortly.  “You must speak with Sam Gabriel.  He deserves that.”  Castiel turned to look at Dean.  “Come.  We will leave them to speak.”  

  
Dean followed Cas back into the hotel room.  “That had better work, I’d really rather not have Gabriel pissed at us again.”  

  
“Gabriel is afraid of rejection.  Angels may bond only once in their lifetime.  It must be mutual, or the bond will kill them.  Sam does not bear Gabriel’s mark, though Gabriel bears his.  It is unequal.  He fears Sam’s unwillingness to bear the same mark.”  Castiel explained, sitting in the chair he had vacated earlier.  

  
“So this whole thing is all because he’s scared Sam doesn’t like him?”  Dean laughed for a long moment, trying to catch his breath when he caught Cas’ serious expression.  “You have to understand why I’m laughing.”  

  
“I do not.”  

  
“Cas, have you see Sam’s face these past couple of weeks?” Dean walked over to his duffle and rummaged through it for a few minutes before he pulled out a bottle of whisky.  “He’s gone for Gabriel.  How the hell did Gabriel not notice?”  

  
Castiel watched Dean take a long sip of the whisky.  “Fear of rejection is a powerful thing Dean.  It keeps many humans from speaking their minds.  Why would you think anything different of an angel?”  

  
Dean frowned at Cas over the edge of his bottle.  “Because you guys are freakin’ angels.  I mean, hell.  If you just wanted to know, read our minds.”

  
“You hate it when we do that Dean.”  

  
“Well, of course.  Just listen Cas.  If Gabriel had really wanted to know how Sam felt, a quick trip into his mind would have saved him a lot of trouble.”  Dean shrugged.  “Seems like he and Sam have both been doing their best interpretations of teenage girls for no reason.”  

  
“Then you believe Sam will accept Gabriel?”  Castiel watched Dean carefully.  

  
“I’d say he already has, but Gabe hasn’t been around to listen.”  Dean shrugged and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking another sip from the bottle.  He turned to the window as the sound of the Impala pulling into the parking lot reached the window.  “Showtime.  Give him hell Sammy.”  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Whatever Sam had been expecting when he climbed out of the Impala, the sight of Gabriel standing in a ring of fire wasn’t it.  He froze and tightened his hand on the bag of food.  

  
“Hiya Sammy.  Mind helping an archangel out?”  Gabriel waved at Sam, raising an eyebrow at him.  

  
Sam walked over to the ring of fire, looking at it for a long moment.  “Dean trap you here?”  

  
“Dean and my little bro.  Was surprised to see he went along with it.”  Gabriel shrugged.

  
“Why?”  Sam didn’t look up at Gabriel, he couldn’t.  It hurt too much.  

  
“Hell if I know.  They trapped me in here and walked off.  Wanted to leave me to your tender mercies.”

  
He turned around and walked back to the car.  “Cas, if Dean wants his food and pie, I’m leaving it on the Impala.  Come get it.”  Sam looked over his shoulder at Gabriel, trying to understand the expression on his face.  “Too busy to answer my call earlier?”  

  
Gabriel watched Sam move towards him again, until he was standing at the edge of the ring.  “Yes, very busy keeping up my name.  Tricksters can’t be all reputation you know.”  

  
Sam sat down just outside the edge of the circle and looked up at Gabriel.  “I know.  Did you hear it?”  

  
“We always hear prayers.  Whether we listen to them or not is another matter entirely.”  

  
Sam frowned and looked down at the edge of the flames.  From the way the summoning circle had been laid out, it appeared that he could enter without harm, but would not be able to leave again.  “I’m sorry that you hate being bonded to me so much.”  Clearly, the other Cas had lied.  Said he was happy.  The truth hurt.  “I wasn’t about to let you die.  I’m sorry that you had to give up some of your Grace to save me.”  He picked up a small rock and threw it.  

  
“I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me.  I know you probably wanted anyone else instead of me.”  Sam didn’t bother looking up at Gabriel again, instead choosing to stare at the fire.  “Cas told me that once I bonded myself to you, it could never be undone.  I’m sorry for that.  If it...hurts you like it does me...”  He shook his head and stood up again.  

  
“Nevermind.  Here.”  He kicked sand over the fire, breaking the circle so Gabriel could escape.  “I’ll tell Dean and Cas to leave you alone.”  Sam turned away, walking back towards the hotel room.  

  
“Does it hurt?”    
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. That happened.


	10. Chapter Ten

  
  
  
  
  


He froze at the sound of Gabriel’s voice.  In the back of his mind he could hear the French Horn again, hear Gabriel.  Playing softly.  His Grace surged inside him.  His mate was calling.  Sam wanted nothing more than to turn and wrap Gabriel in his arms and in his Grace.  “Does what hurt?”  

  
“Being bonded to me Sammy.  Don’t play dumb now.”  Gabriel said, walking closer to where Sam was standing with his back still to him.  

  
Sam sighed.  What did he have to lose?  Nothing he hadn’t already lost.  “No.  Of course it doesn’t hurt.”  He heard Gabriel’s footsteps stop.  “You leaving hurts.  Seeing you on the other side of the street, only for a moment before you disappear hurts.  Hearing someone snap, hoping it is you, only to find out it isn’t hurts.”  He turned around to face Gabriel and crossed his arms across his chest.  “You, taking me flying across the galaxy, showing me stars, then bringing me back and disappearing for three months hurts.”  

  
“You don’t understand what that bond did.  What it meant.”  Gabriel shot back.  

  
“You won’t tell me!  Cas won’t tell me beyond basics!  How am I supposed to know?”  Sam shouted.  

  
“By not forcing a bonding on someone when they are dying!” Gabriel growled.  “It is supposed to be mutual.  When it isn’t, it can kill the other!”  He watched Sam’s eyes widen and smirked.  “Yeah, you didn’t know that, did you?  Lucky for you, you took care of your half quite easily.”  He pulled up his red t-shirt to show the handprint on his side, where Sam had pressed the bonding mark to.  

  
“It’s killing you?” Sam asked softly, stepping closer to Gabriel.  “Being my mate is killing you?”  He swallowed.  “N-No wonder you don’t want to be around me.”  

  
Gabriel scoffed and rolled his eyes.  “Such a drama queen.  Grow up.”  He dropped his shirt and crossed his arms.  

  
Sam sighed and started to run his fingers through his hair.  “How do I stop it?”  His Grace was roiling inside him, churning, desperate to reach out and touch Gabriel, heal him and keep him safe.  His mate.  

  
“There’s nothing you can do Sasquatch.  I-”

  
“There has to be something.”  Sam cut in, stepping closer to Gabriel.  “If I caused the problem, there has to be a way to fix it.  There has to be.”  

  
“It’s not something you can force, so stop thinking that you can fix it.”  Gabriel said.  

  
Sam stepped closer, there was only a foot between he and Gabriel now.  Gabriel still refused to look him in the eyes, instead staring at the ground, or the Impala behind him.  “Tell me how to stop you from dying and I will.”  

  
“You can’t force it.  Don’t bother.”  Gabriel turned away from Sam.  

  
He threw his hands up in frustration.  “Fine, don’t even tell me what it is!  Walk off, leaving me in the dark again!  Disappear for the next three months, too busy dying to tell me what I could to save your life!”  

  
Gabriel spun back to Sam, glaring at him.  “You have to accept the claiming back.  You bear no mark of mine, so the bonding is incomplete.”  

  
He narrowed his eyes.  “Then mark me.  Easy enough.”

  
“Did you listen to anything I just said Sam?”  He walked closer and poked Sam in the chest hard enough to make him stumble back a few steps.  “It cannot be forced.  You have to allow it to happen.  If you try to force it, or I try to force it on you?  It kills you.  Understand now Sasquatch?”  

  
Sam frowned at Gabriel.  “How do I do that?”  

  
“You cannot force it.  You cannot.”  Gabriel combed his fingers through his hair, exhaling hard.  “Just leave it.  There’s nothing you can do.”  

  
Realization hit him in a moment.  “You let me mark you.  You allowed it to happen.”  His chest hurt at the expression that crossed Gabriel’s face, the resignation and the pain.  

  
“I did.”  

  
“Why?”  

  
“Do you always have to know why Sam?”  Gabriel snarled.  

  
“Gabriel.  Please.”  Sam stepped closer again, his right hand sliding under Gabriel’s shirt to rest over the handprint he now knew was there.  His other hand went to the small of Gabriel’s back and pulled him closer.  He closed his eyes, resting his face against Gabriel’s hair as he breathed.  “Tell me.”  He reached out with his Grace, pressing and pulling at the archangel.  

  
“Sam...”  

  
Sam tightened his arm around Gabriel, refusing to let go.  “I won’t let you die.  I can’t lose you.  E-Even if you don’t want me, I will not let you die.”  His Grace held onto Gabriel, trying to pull him closer.  

  
Gabriel huffed out a laugh.  “Kiddo, the problem isn’t me wanting you.  It’s the other way around that’s causing issues.”  He rested his head against Sam’s chest, giving himself a moment to imagine that he was welcome.  

  
Sam yanked himself away a moment later, staring at Gabriel.  “What?!”  

  
He brushed off the sleeves of his jacket.  He was lucky that he had gotten that much of a touch.  Sam had held on for longer than he expected.  “You heard me.”  

  
“What the...are...are you serious?”  

  
“I wasn’t lying to you Sam.”  Gabriel frowned at the stunned look still on Sam’s face.  

  
“Are you blind?!  Or stupid?  Or both!”  Sam growled, advancing on Gabriel again.  

  
Gabriel frowned.  “What are you-”

  
Sam cut him off with a kiss.  It wasn’t slow, or gentle, or anything that he had imagined for his first kiss with Gabriel.  In fact, Gabriel hadn’t even started to kiss back, only stayed frozen in his arms.  He pulled back and glared at the archangel.  “You know, where I come from, it’s polite to kiss someone back when they’ve confessed something important.”  

  
He lowered his forehead to press against Gabriel’s, staring at him.  “You are an idiot.  I bonded myself to you.  I knew what I was doing.  How could you think I didn’t WANT you?”

  
Gabriel frowned. "You didn't know what the bond meant!"

  
"I knew it was a bond and I knew it was permanent. I still did it Gabriel!" Sam huffed out a breath and stared at his angel. He felt Gabriel reaching out hesitantly with his Grace and wrapped the angel up in his arms and Grace. "Gabriel, you idiot."

  
"Sam..."

  
Sam held on tighter. Mine. My angel. Mate. Bonded. His thoughts were spinning, Gabriel's Grace swirling around him, holding him tight. "Why didn't you tell me you had to mark me?"

  
"Couldn't tell you." Gabriel held onto Sam, clenching his eyes shut. "Knew you didn't want me around."

  
Sam nuzzled the top of Gabriel's head. "Want you. With us and around. Not gone. Stay. Please." It took another moment, but their Grace suddenly slid together like a key into a lock. Sam was drowning in Gabriel's emotions. The loneliness, by himself for so long, making do but never being a part of a family. Taking refuge among the pagan gods, trying to desperately hide himself.

  
"Gabriel, Gabriel. I'm here, I have you. Not letting go. You don't have to hide. Promise. Please." Sam chanted softly. He held onto Gabriel tighter, gathering his Grace around them both. With a thought, he launched them into the air. He let his mind brush across Gabriel, asking him to direct them, take them somewhere safe. Moments later, they were in a cabin overlooking an impressive mountain range.

  
Sam let go for a moment. "Are those the Swiss Alps?" He walked over to the window before grinning back over his shoulder at Gabriel.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. 
> 
> Also, pissy Sam is the best Sam. <3


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Destiel Chapter ahead!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here have some Destiel!

  
  
  
  
  


  
Dean toppled out of his chair when the sonic boom cut across the hotel. "Sam!"

  
"Sam is fine Dean. That was him." Castiel said, tilting his head up to look at the sky. "He needs to be alone with Gabriel right now. Gabriel is taking them somewhere safe."

  
He looked at Cas and relaxed, shifting back into his seat before taking another sip of his whisky. "So I guess the case is on hold until they get back."

  
"I will ask Gabriel to make sure he brings Sam back in the morning."  Castiel said, looking up at the sky again. He stood up and glanced at Dean. "I will leave you to your dinner."

  
“Hey Cas?”  Dean took another sip of his whiskey and pulled out his burger.

  
Castiel turned around to look at Dean.  “Yes Dean?”  

  
“Are there pieces of your Grace inside me?  Like Gabriel did with Sam?”  Dean glanced over at Cas out of the corner of his eye and took a large bite of his burger.  

  
“Yes Dean.  Much smaller pieces.  I did not wish to see your soul in the obvious pain it was.  Giving up small pieces of my Grace to soothe your hurt was necessary.”  

  
Dean swallowed.  “No it wasn’t.”  

  
“I don’t understand-”

  
“It wasn’t necessary Cas.  Yeah, I would have been in pain, but that’s nothing new.  Little pain tells me I’m still alive.”  Dean took another sip of his whisky, narrowing his eyes at Castiel.  “Why’d you do it?  Gabriel said it wasn’t something angels did.  Ever.”

  
“I did not wish to see you in pain Dean.  Your soul is so bright, nothing should darken it.”  Castiel added, tilting his head as he watched Dean.  

  
“So it didn’t do any of this funky bonding shit that Sam and Gabriel are dealing with?”  Dean waved between them.  Dean waited for the negative answer. for Castiel to tell him that no, it hadn’t.  But the answer never came.  “Cas?”

  
“Is this an instance where it would be appropriate for me to lie to you Dean?”  

  
“...Cas?”  He hated that his voice shook, but damnit, he was allowed to be surprised!

  
“I did not do any ‘funky bonding shit’ when I used Grace to stitch your soul back together.”  Castiel intoned.  

  
Dean dropped his burger and stood up, advancing on Cas.  “Are you lying to me?”  

  
“Yes.”

  
“Damnit Cas!”  Dean snarled and pushed his fingers through his hair.  

  
“I do not understand.  You are upset when I told you what you wished to hear.”  Castiel said, facing Dean again.  

  
“You just lied to me!  You know how I feel about you lying to me Cas!”  

  
“The truth would upset you.  I do not wish to upset you.”  

  
Dean turned away from Cas and stomped back to the table, taking a long swig from his bottle.  “I don’t give a fuck if it upsets me.  Tell me the truth!”  

  
“I have told you before that we share a profound bond Dean.”  

  
“You didn’t tell me what we were the forever-kind of angel married!”  

  
Castiel watched Dean take another large sip from the bottle.  “We are not.”

  
Dean slammed the bottle down on the table and glared at Cas.  “You lyin’ this time?”

  
“No Dean, I am not.”  

  
“Then what the hell are we and what the fuck does ‘profoundly bonded’ mean?”  He demanded.  

  
Castiel hesitated for a moment before explaining.  “To continue using your analogy, we are half-married.  I have tied myself to you, with Grace.  I cannot undo what I have done.  I do not regret what I did.”  

  
Dean pressed his fingers to his forehead for a long moment.  “When were you going to tell me Cas?”  

  
“Never.”  

  
“Why the hell not?!”  Dean snapped, turning to look at him.  

  
“I did not wish for my choice to effect your life.”  Castiel stated simply.  “You deserve to live your life in any way you chose Dean.  I will not take that from you.”  

  
“So, what, you’re tied to me forever, with a bond that cannot be broken and you want me with other people?”  Dean didn’t know whether to be pleased or pissed.  

  
“I wish for you to be happy Dean.  That is all I have ever wanted for you.  Can you not understand that?”  

  
Dean groaned and rubbed his hand over his face.  “Do you know what I require to be happy Cas?”  

  
“I do not.”  

  
Dean raised his hand in front of Castiel.  “Pay attention.  I need five things in life.  One.  Sam alive, relatively safe. Two. The Impala road worthy.  Three.  Pie.  Enough said.  It’s pie.  Four.  My friends and family either in heaven or relatively safe here on earth.  Five.  You.  Unharmed and all right.”  He watched Cas’ head jerk up to look at him.  

  
“Yeah, you’re on that list.  What of it?”  He crossed his arms and frowned, waiting to be mocked.

  
“I should not be so high on your list Dean.  Not after everything I have done to you.”  

  
“Yeah.  Well.  You are.  If I can forgive Gabriel, then you’re a slice of pie.  I actually like you, for one.”  He caught sight of Castiel’s smile, small and brief like it always was.  

  
“I like you as well Dean.”  

  
“So do you get it?”  Dean asked, rubbing the back of his head.  

  
“Get what Dean?”

  
Dean shrugged and looked at Cas.  “I am happy.  I have what I need to be happy.  I don’t need anything else.  Sammy, you, the Impala, we can find pie somewhere and my friends safe.”  

  
Castiel tilted his head to the side, watching Dean.  “You will want a family someday Dean.”

  
“Already have one.  Sammy, Bobby, Ellen, Jo and you.”  Dean rubbed his hand through his hair.  “Look Cas, all I’m trying to say is that I’m...I’m good.”  

  
“I do not understand.”  Castiel watched as Dean sighed and stood up, walking closer to him.  

  
Thank fuck he’d already had a good amount of whiskey, or he’d never be able to say this out loud to Cas.  “I have everything I want and everything I need Cas.  I just feel bad that you tied yourself to me.  I mean, what happens when you fall in love with another angel or some shit?  You’re tied to a stupid human.”  

  
Castiel hesitated.  “I am no longer truly welcome in heaven Dean.  I have rebelled.  There are none who would mate with me now.  It does not matter.”  

  
Fuck he was turning into Sam.  “What do you need to be happy Cas?  And don’t feed me any of that God bullshit.”  

  
“Angels do not feel emotions like humans do Dean.  I do not know what it would take for me to feel happy.”  

  
Dean sighed, looking at Cas.  He only looked confused, as always.  “Do you want anything?  Something you shouldn’t want, but you want it anyways, because you think it will give you something you didn’t have before?”  What kind of bullshit was he spouting?  Fuck, he needed to lay off the drinking.

  
He watched as Castiel thought about the question, much longer and deeper than it really deserved, but fuck, he’d asked it, so he might as well wait for the answer.  

  
“Yes, I do.”  

  
His eyes widened, surprised at the answer.  He hadn’t expected it.  “Well.  What is it?  Pretty sure we can find some way to get it for you.”  

  
Castiel looked at Dean.  “I have it already.”  

  
His turn to be confused.  “But I said-”

  
“You asked me if there is something I want.  Something I should not want, but want anyways.  Because I believe that it will give me something I do not have.”  Castiel repeated, still staring at Dean.  “There is.  I have it already.”  

  
He would not be jealous over whatever this ‘something’ was.  Hell, it could be Cas’ trenchcoat for all he knew.  Dude certainly clung to it more than the rest of his outfit.  “Well?  Are you going to tell me what it is?”  Dean watched Cas smile, actually smile, before he dropped the bomb.  

  
“You, Dean.”  

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We return to our regularly scheduled Sabriel programing in the next chapter! Complete with porn! (*coughcoughAndClaimingcoughcough*)
> 
> Also, I am aware of what a little shit I am, leaving it there. I'm not sorry. Just as an fyi. <3


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, a nice long chapter to finish it off with!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Gabriel stepped up besides Sam and looked out the window.  “You’d be able to tell better than me, since you decided to blast the both of us out of there.”  

  
Sam shoved Gabriel with his shoulder and stared out the window again.  “Don’t be a dick.  Are we?”  

  
“Yes.  An isolated cabin.  It’s quiet here.”  Gabriel shrugged and looked over at Sam.  His Grace was still clinging to Sam, to the wonderful brightness and warmth that seemed to surge at his touch.  It was a bit distracting if he was honest, the urge to keep touching Sam’s soul, his Grace.

  
Sam tilted his head back and exhaled slowly.  “Know you probably aren’t doing that on purpose, but it feels good.  Really good.”  A moment later he felt Gabriel’s hands on his hips and looked down at the angel.  

  
“That’s pretty much angel sex in a nutshell for you.  Vessels just mean we have a physical way to enjoy it too.” He leaned closer and pressed his face against Sam’s chest, listening to the heartbeat under his ear.  

  
He wrapped his arms around Gabriel and pulled him closer.  “Well, I’m glad to hear that, since I seem to remember you quite enjoying the physical side of sex.”  Sam nuzzled the top of Gabriel’s head.  “This place have a bedroom?”

  
Gabriel reached out and poked Sam in the side.  “Careful, or I’m going to think you only want me for my body.”  

  
He squirmed at the poke and stared down at Gabriel.  “Body, soul and Grace.”  Sam squeezed Gabriel again.  “Thought that’d be the easiest time to, you know.  Mark me.”  

  
He shuddered and tightened his hands on Sam’s hips.  “You sure?”  

  
“Yeah.”  Sam leaned down and kissed Gabriel, slow and soft.  “Was sure when I kissed you the first time.  Now hurry up.”  
  
  
Gabriel smiled and flew them into the bedroom, even if it was close enough to have walked there.  He wanted Sam, naked and in his bed and he wanted him now.  “Impatient kiddo?”  
  
  
“You have no idea.”  Sam muttered, stripping his shirt up and off of his shoulders, getting his belt and jeans off, tossing them off to the side of the bed.  “Do me a favour and mojo up the-”  
  
  
A snap sounded in the room and Gabriel stretched back on the bed, gloriously naked, taking in the sight of Sam.  Even though he’d known that those loose shirts and jeans hid one hell of a body, it was totally another thing to actually SEE it.  “Anything else you need other than me naked?”   
  
  
Sam laughed and got rid of his boxers next, climbing on top of Gabriel so their faces were level.  “Maybe lube in a bit.  But right now?”  His voice dropped to a low growl.  “No.”  He dove in for another kiss, this one harder and deeper than the others.  He licked his way into Gabriel’s mouth, tasting cinnamon.  Fuck, was that on purpose?  He chased the taste, running his tongue over the angel’s teeth, the roof of his mouth before tangling their tongues together again.   
  
  
Gabriel tightened his fingers on Sam’s hips and pulled him closer.  Damn, this kid could KISS.  His mouth was a weapon of complete distraction.  Not to mention, his entire body rippled with muscles that he knew how to use, and it was all his.  His Grace sang, wrapping tightly around Sam’s Grace, the chant of ‘Mine, Mine, Mine!’ echoing in his mind as Sam pulled back from the kiss and tried to find some air.   
  
  
“Fuck, why do you taste like cinnamon?”  He grumbled, sucking Gabriel’s lower lip into his mouth.  He’d never be able to stop kissing him.  “Fucking love it.”  Sam bit down, enjoying the gasp that was wrenched out of Gabriel.  “Gonna touch every single inch of you.  Damnit Gabriel, we wasted three months.”  He rocked his hips slowly, letting his hard cock drag along Gabriel’s thigh.  
  
  
This kid was going to be the death of him.  “Then let’s not waste anymore time, shall we?”  Gabriel rolled them over and straddled Sam’s hips, smirking down at him.  Sam’s eyes had gone wide, his pupils dilated.  “Oh, like being manhandled, do you?  Bet that’s something you’ve never had, big as you are...”  
  
  
“Gabriel...”  Sam moaned, his fingers reaching out to tangle into his hair.  Fuck, Gabriel had that spot-on.  The archangel could throw him around like he weighed nothing.  “Don’t care what you decide to do, but fucking do something!” “  
  
  
He chuckled and stretched out on top of Sam.  Father, the kid was a furnace.  He just wanted to sink into him, Grace and all and stay there forever.  When Sam’s hands came up to sit at his waist, one of them immediately went to the handprint on his side and squeezed, making him gasp.  He didn’t imagine the bolt of arousal that went through them and the way both of their Grace’s surged together.   
  
  
“Gabriel!”  Sam arched, his hips bucking up to rut against Gabriel’s as he tightened his hand on the angel’s side.  He couldn’t let go, maintaining that connection between them felt so good and the power of their combined Grace was surging in the room.   
  
  
He groaned, and stared down at Sam, licking his lips.  Kid was delicious.  Not to mention he was riding the Grace-high of the century.  If Sam didn’t let him claim him after this, he’d die.  Maybe literally.  “What do you want Sam?”  He felt the kid buck again, rubbing up on him.  “Tell me.  You and those big fucking Sasquatch hands of yours.”   
  
  
Sam shuddered and gripped Gabriel tighter rocking against him, opening his mouth to try to answer.  “Fuck, doesn’t matter.  Wanna fuck you, be fucked, blow you, make you put that mouth of yours to good use...”   
  
  
“You are going to be the death of me Sam Winchester.”  Gabriel said, leaning down to kiss Sam again.  This time he didn’t let himself be devoured, instead he claimed Sam’s mouth, taking as much as he could.    “Want everything.”   
  
  
Sam thought of an idea, his eyes lighting up.  “How ‘bout you ride me into oblivion Gabe?”  
  
  
Gabriel groaned again and rocked against Sam’s abs, the feeling driving him wild. “Yeah, I can definitely get behind that.”    
  
  
A laugh punched its way out of Sam’s chest and he smiled up at Gabriel.  “Did you really just make that pun?”    
  
  
He did.  It was perhaps not his best moment.  What could he say, the kid made him forget himself.  “Well, puns are the lowest form of humor and I am about go go really low.”  Gabriel rocked back against Sam, enjoying the gasp wrenched out of his human.  His Grace surged happily at the feel of Sam under him, holding and hugging him tighter like this.    
  
  
Sam pulled Gabriel down for another kiss, kissing him slow and deep, letting their combined Grace sink together.  This was about so much more than sex.  And it felt so incredible.  “You gonna hurry up and do something about that getting down then?”  
  
  
Gabriel snorted and shook his head.  He stretched out against the length of Sam’s body, groaning happily.  “Think I am going to take my time savoring you.”  He frowned for a moment when a message came through from Castiel asking him to be back the following morning.    
  
  
“Everything all right?”  Sam reached out to tuck hair behind Gabriel’s ear, smiling at him.  He was content.    
  
  
“Cas wants me to bring you back tomorrow.  Apparently you still have a case.”  Gabriel leaned down for another kiss, content to stay pressed against Sam like this.    
  
  
Sam hummed.  “Yes, true, we do.”  He let his hands fall to Gabriel’s thighs and trailed them up slowly, over his ass and up over his back.  “I want you safe first.”  He kissed Gabriel again, deep and savoring.  Their tongues slid together, over each other.  Sam groaned when Gabriel began to rock against him.    
  
  
Gabriel pulled back just far enough from the kiss to hum.  He could feel Sam’s concern, his Grace, wrapping tightly around him and pulling him close.  “Wanna do both at once?”    
  
  
Sam blinked back at Gabriel.  “Both?”    
  
  
“Angel sex and sex-sex.”  Gabriel waggled his eyebrows.  “I promise that once you do it, you will never go back to normal sex again.”    
  
  
“I thought that’s what we were doing anyways.”    
  
  
Gabriel shook his head and kissed Sam again, letting their lips drag against each other.  “Mmm.  I have a feeling you’ll have a knack for this.  So follow my lead, okay?”    
  
  
Sam nodded and suddenly it was like a wall had been pulled down between them.  He gasped as a wave of desire washed over him, all stemming from Gabriel.  He could feel it, feel how much Gabriel loved being draped over him like this and how much he wanted more.  “Fuck, Gabriel!”  His hips bucked up and it was a delicious feedback loop of sensation.  It felt good to him, and then Gabriel was sending him how it felt to HIM and christ.  It amplified everything a hundred times over.    
  
  
A shaky inhale later, Gabriel nodded.  “Yeah.  I know.  You gonna let me in too?”  He gave a gentle nudge to the wall at the front of Sam’s mind, surprised to feel it shatter at his touch.  Then Sam’s mind was completely open to him.  Whatever he had been expected, it hadn’t been the wave of love and lust that washed over him.  How much Sam wanted him to stay, how scared he was that’d he’d leave again and not come back this time.  How much it meant that Gabriel had allowed him, allowed Sam to get this close.    
  
  
Gabriel fought for breath and opened his eyes to look at Sam.  He saw the tentative look there, the fear that Sam had at being rejected now that they were almost sharing the same thoughts.  He leaned down for another slow kiss, the sensation washing over the both of them.  He focused on sending Sam everything.  All the love, adoration, lust and want that he had for Sam.  He made sure that Sam knew.    
  
  
“G-Gabriel!”  Sam gasped, his body bucking up again.  His hands fell to Gabriel’s hips, gripping him tight as he rubbed against the angel.  He could feel it all now.  How much Gabriel wanted him, how certain he was that he would not be leaving again.  All of it.  All of it that he had so desperately needed.  “Please, need it.  Need you.”  He begged.    
  
  
He groaned.  “This is gonna be quick and dirty Sam.”  Gabriel whispered, rocking down and against Sam.  A quick abuse of angel powers had him ready for Sam.  He wrapped a hand around Sam’s cock and positioned him properly, sinking back onto his cock with a quick thrust.  The feedback on their link told him exactly how tight and hot he was and how much more Sam wanted.  “Come on kiddo.  Want it.  Want you.  I made you wait three months.  Show much how much you wanted me.”    
  
  
Sam tightened his hands on Gabriel’s hips, shoving hard and deep into him.  He whined.  Gabriel.  Gabriel.  His mind and body were surrounded by the archangel as they moved frantically together.  He was vaguely aware of their bodies moving together as he fell deeper into Gabriel’s mind, into the pleasure he was feeling.  Sam whined, completely lost in the waves of bliss.    
  
  
Gabriel rocked them, shifting so Sam was brushing up against his prostate, his cry of pleasure lost among the waves of their bond.  It was finally solidifying, locking into place, into proper place.  An open line of communication, forever tying them together.  His Grace and Sam’s were singing and surging together, filling the tiny cabin with light.    
  
  
Sam whimpered, thrusting up and into Gabriel’s body, lost in how good it felt, how he wanted to be closer, to be fully buried in the archangel.  “Gabriel!”  He begged.  “Please!”  He didn’t even know what he was begging for now, but there was something.  In the back of his mind, in the part that was still afraid Gabriel would leave when all of this was over knew there was more.  There was something he had to do.    
  
  
“I know Sam.  I know.”  Gabriel whispered against Sam’s lips, slamming their hips together, desperate.  The urge to mark, to claim was barely able to be contained now.  Sam was his.  He belonged to Sam.  Every piece of them tangled up in each other.  Even now, he could feel the powerful, strong thread that tied Sam to Dean.  He wanted his mate to feel safe.  Instead of attacking this claim on Sam’s affection, he pressed tighter to it, surrounding it with his own Grace.  He would protect Sam.  And Dean.    
  
  
Sam gave a broken cry under him, his thrusts becoming frantic, desperate.  He was close, so close now.  Gabriel had to do whatever he was supposed to.  His orgasm was building in his belly and he had to wait, had to wait for something, something Gabriel had to do.  “Gabe, I need it, please!”    
  
  
Gabriel dropped one hand to Sam’s hip, his thumb tracing the indent of his hipbone.  A sense of rightness settled into his stomach.  Here, yes, here.  His hand glowed white hot with his Grace, burning his handprint into Sam.  He felt the brief surge of pain from Sam before he smoothed over it and healed the burnt skin.  He settled his hand into place and tightened on the sensitive spot and watched Sam scream, his whole body tensing and bucking as his orgasm, both in mind and Grace as light exploded over them.  Gabriel barely caught his breath before the feedback loop washed over him again and he came, his Grace bursting out of his vessel.    
  
  
When he came back down to earth, it felt like much more time had passed.  Sam was stroking his back gently.  “Gabriel?”    
  
  
Gabriel gave a quiet hum.  He opened his eyes and stared up at Sam from where he was lying sprawled across his chest.  “Are you all right?”    
  
  
Sam chuckled and leaned down to kiss Gabriel.  “Yeah.”  His hip twinged with the phantom remembrance of the pain.  Now he was only sore. Sore in the best ways.  He smiled as a wave of love and adoration wash over him from Gabriel and wrapped his arms around the archangel.  “Are you safe now?”    
  
  
“Yes.”  Gabriel felt contentment and joy from Sam at that simple word and luxuriated in the feeling.  Sam was his.  Always his.    
  
  
“Good.”  Sam whispered.  A seed of doubt crept into his contentment.  What would happen when he died eventually?  Would he lose Gabriel?  Would they lose this?    
  
  
“Shhh.”  Gabriel said, reaching up to brush his fingers through Sam’s hair.  “Rest assured, there is nowhere, heaven or hell, that I would not follow you to.  Though, you know, archangel, so heaven’s the more likely.”    
  
  
Sam relaxed again, the warm weight of Gabriel, and the brush of Gabriel’s mind reminding him of just how tired he was.  Exhausted even.  And he and Dean had a case to work on tomorrow morning.    
  
  
“Sleep Sasquatch.”  Gabriel whispered, letting their minds drift apart.  The connection between them was still there, still bright and fresh.  But they were no longer IN each other’s minds.  Much better this way.  He felt Sam close his eyes and smiled.    
  
  
“Gabriel…?”  Sam mumbled.    
  
  
“Yeah beautiful?”  Gabriel asked, shifting to look down at the human beneath him.    
  
  
“Love you.”    
  
  
“I know.”  He jumped when Sam gave him a hard prod through the bond at his words and grinned against Sam’s neck.    
  
  
“No Han Soloing.”  Sam said.  His voice was low and slurred with sleep.    
  
  
Gabriel chuckled.  “All right, all right.  I love you too Sammich.”    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right ladies and gents! That is it, the story is over and done. While there MAY be a possibility of continuing the scene with Dean and Cas, I do not have any plans to do so at this point in time and I will leave it up to your lovely interpretations of what you think might happen. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone that commented and kept me going. You are wonderful human beings and I thank you so much for all of your support. <3 You guys are the best.


	13. The Destiel Scene Continuation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, you all wanted it, you ALL freakin' asked for it...so, late as it might be....I obliged. I EVEN GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PORN. <3 
> 
> ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT NOTE: This takes place directly after chapter...uh. Shit. Whatever the Destiel chapter was. Chapter Eleven (I think). Literally, it's a straight pick up from the last words Cas says.

 

Dean stared at Cas, waiting for the shoe to drop, for him to laugh at the clearly TERRIBLE joke...and no.  No joke.  Cas was staring him, his blue eyes as earnest as ever.  Dammit.  He was going to make a list of all the reasons why this was an absolutely terrible idea.  A long, long, long list.  But first…

 

“I need a damn drink.”  He announced, striding back over to the bedside table where he had left the bottle of Jim Bean sitting.  Dean picked it up and took a couple of swigs.  “Dammit Cas.  You can’t-”  

 

“I would advise that you do not counsel me on my own feelings Dean.  They are mine.”  Castiel said, staring at the hunter.  “You said you did not wish for me to lie to you-”

 

“Yeah, Cas, but dammit, I also don’t want to be the one thing that you want in life!  I mean, you’re a celestial being for fuck’s sake!”  

 

Castiel frowned at Dean.  “I do not understand what being an angel has to do with my desire to-”

 

“Just stop.  Stop.  Stop.”  Dean interrupted.  He was not going to put Cas and desire in the same sentence.  He would not, could not do that.  He would end up in a more than difficult position if he even began to remotely...I mean.  Fuck.  Dammit all to hell.

 

Dean sucked in a deep breath and took another sip of the bourbon.  “Cas.  Just.  Try to answer this without giving me some mystical angel bullshit answer, okay?”  

 

“All right.”  

 

“In what context do you...you know.  Want me.”  Dean winced.  Fuck.  He was a girl.  Sam was rubbing off on him.  

 

Castiel stared at Dean.  “As you have pointed out.  I should not want you.  Either as a friend or as more.  But you have given me faith again Dean, when I thought I had lost it forever.  I wish to return some small measure of that to you.”  

 

Dean covered his face with a groan.  “Cas…”  

 

“Dean, perhaps if you phrased your question more bluntly I wouldn’t frustrate you so much with my answers.”  Castiel said.  

 

Dean opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.  Dammit.  “Does this want include...romantic...you know.  Connotations?”  

 

Castiel stared at Dean and walked closer to him.  “Dean.  I raised your soul from hell.  I rebuilt every inch of you with pieces of myself.  I have forever tied my Grace to your soul.  That “want” includes every part of you that you are willing to give.”  He stopped, inches from Dean, staring straight into his eyes.  “If I can have only friendship from you Dean, then that is more than I ever thought I would receive.”  

 

He stared back at Cas, his heart pounding.  “But you want…”  

 

“I want every piece that you are willing to give me Dean.  All of it.”  

 

“But you don’t like sex!”  Dean protested, his voice going high.  He swallowed.  

 

Castiel smirked.  “I do not wish to have meaningless intercourse, no.”  He raised his eyebrow in clear implication.  

 

Dean stared.  And fuck, he was a grown man who was not going to blush.  “I’ve taught you too well.”  

 

Castiel raised both eyebrows.  “So, Dean?”  

 

He blinked.  Fuck.  Cas was implying...was.  Dean took a moment and looked away from Cas, taking a swallow of the bottle.  He was going to run out before he even managed to finish this conversation.  “So, we’re half-married?”  

 

The change in topic was a clear avoidance on Dean’s part.  Castiel tilted his head and stepped closer, so their toes were touching, their noses nearly brushing when he looked up into Dean’s eyes.  Dean was breathing, fast and hard.  “Dean.”  

 

“C-Cas?”  

 

“Dean.”  

 

Dean stared at Cas.  They were close enough that he could see the way Cas’ eyes seemed to glow faintly.  “Cas, I can’t…”  He saw the disappointment, immediately, up close and personal, and reached out to grab the sleeve of that trenchcoat before Castiel could pull away.   _Understand.  Please Cas, come on.  I can’t take the first step.  I don’t know how._  

 

Castiel reached down and dislodged Dean’s hand from his arm.  He could feel Dean’s breathing cease, that heartbreaking moment where they were frozen, staring at each other.  

 

Then Cas’ long fingers were tangling with his and squeezing his hand, and Cas was smiling, still staring at him.   _The same way we have always done.  Together._  Dean blinked, about to ask how it was that he could hear Cas’ voice without his lips moving when Cas moved that final inch and chapped lips were pressed to his, soft and gentle.  

 

Castiel did not release Dean’s hand, but he was unsure of what to do with his other hand.  Dean solved the problem a moment later when he groaned and yanked them together with his free arm.  Castiel gasped as he was pulled against all of Dean’s body.  Dean’s soul responded a moment later, surging up and around him, eager to claim him.  He broke away from the kiss.  “Dean, I can’t-”  

 

He stared as Dean’s soul flinched away from him, withdrawing and growing dark, much like Dean himself.  His self-loathing suddenly swarmed him and Castiel could hear the thoughts from Dean like they were his own.   _Knew it.  Never could have deserved an angel.  Too dark, too damaged.  He knows what I did in hell, how could he ever want me, why would he want someone like me._ “Dean!” Castiel growled, grabbing Dean’s chin and forcing him to meet his eyes.  

 

“No, it’s fine Cas, I get it, I just, why did-”

 

Castiel frowned at Dean before deciding the argument was no longer worth exploring.  He leaned in to kiss Dean again, this time hard and insistent.   _Listen to me.  I told you to stop because if your soul claims my Grace, we’ll be full married.  I cannot undo that, and you needed to know what you were about to do._  Like a flame, Dean’s soul immediately brightened and reached for him, responding to his words and the swell of his Grace.

 

Castiel sucked at Dean’s lower lip, pulling the hunter closer when he groaned.   _I will only accept that if you are giving it willingly.  I will not take it now only for you to regret it later.  Understand?_

 

Dean reached up and tangled his fingers in Castiel’s hair, yanking him closer.   _I got it.  My soul wants your Grace._

 

 _Yes._ Castiel could feel the pleasure that surged through Dean at the idea.  That his want went beyond anything he could physically control.  Strange human.  Yet the thought made Castiel smile, always.   _Tell me if you do not want it now Dean._

 

Dean pulled back, just enough to suck in a very very needed breaths of air before grinning at Cas.  “I’ve got a half angel brother, who has an archangel...something or other….might as well convert all the way and get me an angel myself.”  He pushed Cas back onto the bed and then climbed on top of him.  “Guess we’re getting hitched.”  

 

Castiel’s breath caught and his grace surged, swarming over Dean, wrapping around him, cradling his soul close.  “Dean, are you-”

 

“I swear to...to...someone who is not your Dad that if you ask me that again I am going to say no and I don’t care how much you give me that stern look I am not going to-Mmmfph!”

 

Castiel pulled back from the kiss to smirk at Dean.  “I much prefer this method of being quieted Dean.  Perhaps you could do that next time.”  

 

Dean laughed and dropped his head to Cas’ shoulder.  “I am such a bad influence on you.”  

 

“I agree.  Perhaps you could continue to be a bad influence and correct me further.”  He raised an eyebrow at Dean.  

 

“Fucking hell Cas, you and your bad come ons are going to kill me.” Dean groaned.  

 

“I could vanish our clothes and simply be an...angel of action, if you would prefer that instead?”  

 

Dean started laughing and grinned at Cas.  “How about, instead of the insta-naked we do the married-thing.”  His brow crinkled with a frown.  “That’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.”  

 

Castiel smiled.  “It is quite a pleasant sentence to hear you say.  I must admit.”  He closed his eyes and leaned up to press their foreheads together.  “Just...allow it to happen.”  

 

“Allow what to happen?”  Dean asked, resting his hands on Cas’ shoulders, stroking over the ill-fitting jacket.  

 

“You’ll know.”  Castiel said.  He reached up to cup Dean’s face in his hands and pulled him close and into another kiss.  “You’ll feel it.  The Grace that now belongs to you will tie you to me.”  

 

Dean snorted.  “Well that’s convenient.”  

 

“Dean.”  

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll be serious for the super-secret marriage ceremony now.  Do I have to get all sappy too?”  

 

Castiel smiled and shook his head.  “No.  Just let me in when I ask.”  

 

“I really don’t think the virgin should be the one on top the first time we-” Dean closed his eyes when Castiel kissed him this time.  He stretched out slowly, pressing all of Cas into the mattress.  

 

Dean’s soul truly was remarkable, the way it surged to greet him.  It began tugging at him, piece by piece, pulling him closer until he had no choice but to fall into Dean.  Castiel gasped when Dean’s soul pulled harder, demanding all of him.  

 

“C-Cas…”  Dean moaned, rocking his hips down, surprised how he had gone from ‘mildly-interested-hey-this-could-go-somewhere’ to ‘desperate-I-need-you-now’ in the space of a few seconds.  “Wh-what…?”

 

 _Your soul is responding to the stimulus of my Grace.  That is manifesting in your body as well.  Are you displeased?  I likely cannot stop the reaction._ Castiel pressed his Grace to all of Dean’s soul, attempting to sooth the fire he could now feel building.  The touch only served to make Dean burn hotter and he cried out, his body moving frantically against his.  

 

“Right, well.  I don’t want to stop it, but-FUCK!”  Dean swore, all thought of stopping wiped from his mind.  He rocked against Cas’ body, and this time Cas arched back, pressing up and into him.  “I don’t want to be on a hair trigger here!”  He panted.  

 

_Hair trigger?  What does hair have to do with intercourse?_

 

Dean groaned.   _Cas, I want you to experience pleasure WITH me here, okay?_  He fumbled with his jeans, struggling to get them off and down his hips enough before tearing at Cas’ pants, managing to get the zipper undone before yanking them down.  Huh.  Jimmy was more built than he’d given him credit for.  

 

_Dean, please…_

Huh.  Apparently Cas could sound annoyed through the telepathy thing they had going on.  Good to know.  “Okay.  Okay.  Next time, we’re doing this my way.  Teasing and dammit I want to watch, but fuck, I need, I need.”  Dean panted, wrapping his hand around both of their dicks, stroking fast.  Cas did that, that thing again and he arched, pressing him into the mattress with another kiss.   _Does it always feel like this?_

 

Castiel gripped Dean’s hip with one hand, the other going to where his hand print used to be on Dean’s arm.   _I do not know.  With you?  Always._

 

Dean groaned and kissed Cas harder, chasing his orgasm.  Whatever Cas was doing was starting to feel like even more, burning hotter and fuck.  He wasn’t going to last. _Cas, please…_

_I know Dean.  You’re beautiful.  So beautiful.  Let me in.  Please let me in._ And just like that, the walls Dean held around his soul melted away and Dean’s soul welcomed in.  Castiel had to give just as much of himself back to the feeling and it was a glorious one. _Dean, yes, Dean!_

 

Dean couldn’t tell where he stopped and Cas began.  They were so much more than just the two bodies in the bed.  He could feel _Cas_  in a way that he never had before.  Grace and all.  He wanted more of it.  He reached for the feeling, for _Cas_ and pulled him closer, watching Castiel cry out and arch under him.  

 

 _Dean!  Yes, Dean, yes!  I’m yours, I’m yours._ Castiel was unable to restrain his Grace completely, his hand on Dean’s arm starting to glow.  He needed to mark Dean again, make him his, claim him properly this time.  Dean belonged to him and he to Dean.  

 

They were both on the edge.  Dean could feel it, what promised to be a fucking explosive orgasm building up as he rocked against Cas harder. _Cas, Cas, fuck, Cas!_  It didn’t take much more for Cas to suddenly shout, his hips rocking up as he came.  Dean had only a second to appreciate the sight before a wave of Grace suddenly swept through him and he was shouting, screaming and drowning in Cas.  

 

Dean had no idea how long it took for him to come back to himself, but when he did, he felt decidedly….tingly.  And he was still wearing most of his clothing.  Dammit.  “Cas?”  

 

“Mmmm?”  

 

Dean was rather proud of how completely fucked-out Cas sounded.  Ha.  He did that.  To an angel.  Awesome.  “Can you do the vanish the clothes thing into a pile?”  He wasn’t about to lose this shirt.  He liked this shirt.  Castiel grunted, but a moment later, they were both clean and he could see his clothes piled on the other bed.  Perfect.  “Blanket?”  

 

“You are taking advantage.”  Castiel mumbled into Dean’s shoulder.  Dean’s soul was still swimming in his Grace, seemingly content to stay there.  

 

Dean pressed a kiss to Cas’ shoulder and grinned.  “You want me to move?”  A huff from Cas and then they were wrapped under the sheets and blanket.  Perfect.  Dean settled in with a content hum.  

 

Castiel reached out to comb his fingers through Dean’s hair, massaging his scalp.  Dean made a half groan/half choked noise and he paused.  “Dean?”  

 

“Don’t stop, don’t stop, feels really good.”  Dean mumbled.  

 

Ah.  The noise had been a positive one then.  Excellent.  Castiel resumed the gentle petting (though he knew better than to call it petting in front of Dean) and felt Dean relax even more.  

 

_Hey Cas?_

 

Castiel supposed that he should not be surprised at how easy Dean had picked up the ability to speak through their bond.   _Yes?_

 

_Really glad I’m angel married to you._

His Grace cradled Dean’s soul that much closer, shining with the praise.   _As am I._

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *FALLS OVER* DONE. DONE AND DEADED. <3 Hope you like/love/enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> Hate it? Love it? Did I have someone remove their shirt twice? Let me know!
> 
> Comments and Criticisms welcome!
> 
> You can find me here: http://aria-lerendeair.tumblr.com/
> 
> You can also watch me write fics like this (and dozens of others) live! Follow me on Livestream for fics, shenanigans and a general all-around awesome time! http://new.livestream.com/accounts/7212317


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